January 13, 2024

Philadelphia International Airport is one of the most punctual airports in the world, says report

Based on the number of on-time flights, PHL makes the list of airports with the best on-time performance, ranking eighth

By Chris Compendio
PhillyVoice Staff

Thom Carroll/for PhillyVoice

Philadelphia International Airport ranks among the most punctual airports in the world, according to a report by aviation analytics company Cirium.

There are many metrics one can use to judge an airport, but passengers want their flights to be on time first and foremost. According to a recent report, Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) is one of the best in that regard.

The report comes from Cirium, an analytics company with a specific focus on aviation. Titled "The On-Time Performance Review 2023," the report looks at how airlines and airports performed in the past year. Among the list of the 20 best-performing airports in terms of punctuality, PHL ranks in the eighth position.

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PHL is one of several United States-based airports to make the "top 20 winners" ranking. At the very top of the worldwide ranking is Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP), with Salt Lake City, Detroit and Seattle just above Philadelphia. Also included are Charlotte, San Diego, Los Angeles and Atlanta, amongst other American airports.

According to the report, PHL had an on-time departure percentage of 82.75%, coming from a total of 246,152 flights. By comparison, the on-time departure percentage for MSP is 84.44%. Compared to last year, the ranking of Philadelphia's airport is lower this year, with PHL being the fifth most punctual airport according to 2022 data.

On the subject of most punctual airlines, the only American entries in the top 10 ranking were Delta Airlines and American Airlines, with Delta earning Cirium's Platinum Award for Operational Excellence.

While PHL visitors and passengers can expect efficiency from their flights, there is still dissatisfaction with the airport as a whole. The Philadelphia International Airport may boast quick security lines, a survey from last year showed that travelers are overall unhappy with PHL, with the survey looking at terminal facilities, arrival and departure, baggage claim, security check, baggage check and food, beverage and retail.