Saudia ranks second worldwide for on-time arrivals in 2025

Saudia, the national airline of Saudi Arabia, has been ranked second in the world for on-time performance in 2025, maintaining the same position it achieved in 2024, while Qatar Airways also placed among the global top five, securing fifth place.

 

The ranking, published by aviation analytics provider Cirium, highlights Saudia’s strong operational discipline, with an on-time arrival rate of 86.53% across more than 200,000 flights serving more than 100 destinations. Cirium defines an on-time flight as one that reaches the gate within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival.

 

Qatar Airways secured fifth place worldwide, achieving 84.42% on-time arrivals. The Doha-based airline also received the prestigious Cirium Platinum Award for operational excellence, recognising its extensive hub network spanning six continents and more than 198,000 flights.

 

Leading the global ranking was Aeromexico, with a punctuality rate of 90.02%, while Scandinavia’s SAS secured third place with 86.09%.  

 

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Middle East Airline Performance

In the Middle East and Africa category, which includes airlines operating within fewer than three world regions, South Africa’s Safair led with an impressive 91.06% on-time record. Royal Jordanian followed in second place with 90.73%, and Saudi low-cost carrier Flyadeal, a subsidiary of Saudia, ranked fourth with 86.54%. Etihad Airways placed ninth in the region, achieving 81.06%.

 

Among airports, Riyadh King Khalid International Airport (RUH) was named the world’s second most punctual large airport, posting an on-time departure rate of 86.81%, just behind Santiago Arturo Merino Benítez International Airport (SCL) in Chile. Despite improving its performance from 86.65% in 2024, RUH slipped from first to second place.

 

Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH) also featured among the global top 10 with an on-time rate of 84.70%.

 

 

Commenting on the results, Jeremy Bowen, CEO of Cirium, said: “Maintaining consistent on-time performance requires sophisticated network planning, operational coordination and the ability to recover quickly when irregularities occur. These results reflect the operational discipline that defines aviation’s top performers."

 

Saudi’s broader aviation sector continued to show strong growth in 2025. According to the General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA), the kingdom’s airports handled 103.1 million passengers in the first nine months of the year, a 9% increase compared to 2024. Flight movements also rose 5% year-on-year to 713,000, connecting the kingdom to 170 destinations worldwide.

 

Looking ahead, Middle East carriers are forecast to maintain their industry-leading financial performance, with the IATA Global Outlook projecting a 9.3% net profit margin in 2026 – more than double the global average – and a combined net profit of US$6.8 billion for the region’s airlines.

 

For more information, visit cirium.com and saudia.com