The Most (and Least) Punctual Airlines in 2016

If you’re flying this holiday season, a new Forbes study suggests you should do yourself a favor and fly on Delta, and avoid Frontier if possible. The study used three years of on-time data to pick out the most on-time airlines, and the ones with the most delayed arrivals and departures.

The data comes from the U.S. Department of Transportation, and accounts for flights during Thanksgiving and Christmas-New Year periods in the last three years.

Hawaiian Airlines topped the list, but that’s mainly because of the favorable weather conditions. Among the big four major US carriers, Delta was the best with 86.07% of flights reaching on time. Here’s the full list:

1. Hawaiian Airlines – 91.75%
2. Delta Air Lines – 86.07%
3. Alaska Air Lines – 84.85%
4. Virgin America – 79.37%
5. United Airlines – 78.85%
6. American Airlines – 77.73%
7. JetBlue – 76.93%
8. Southwest Airlines – 74.71%
9. Spirit Airlines – 71.94%
10. Frontier – 71.28%

The survey also noted that almost all of Virgin America’s aircraft operate with in-flight internet and Wi-Fi. Delta also has Wi-Fi on 90% of its flights, making it probably the best airline option this holiday season, given its connectivity.

The Best and Worst Airlines for Holiday Travel in 2016 | Forbes