May 21, 2026
If air travel seemed a bit less magical last year, you weren’t imagining things. The number of on-time arrivals in 2025 was the lowest since 2014, according to a new study. And this year could be even worse.
The study, from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group, found nearly 25% of flights did not arrive on time last year, between delays, cancellations and diversions.
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The real trouble starts at an hour or more late, which can result in missed connections. That happened with 1 in 12 flights by the country’s 10 largest airlines. Frontier Airlines and JetBlue were the carriers who had the most delays of an hour or more. Hawaiian Airlines had the lowest amount.
“Air travel has been increasingly erratic and stressful, even before the Spirit Airlines collapse, which will affect flyers on other airlines, too,” said Teresa Murray, Consumer Watchdog director for U.S. PIRG Education Fund.
The late arrivals are just a piece of an increasingly complex puzzle that illustrates the inconveniences of modern air travel. Another component? Rising costs.
“A lot of issues are converging: a shortage of air traffic controllers, the economy, bad weather, more cancellations and delays, government shutdowns that affect security lines, higher airfares and baggage fees that are $10 to $15 more per bag than a year ago,” said Murray.
By the numbers
Citing data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the study found that over 100,000 flights were canceled by major carriers last year. And nearly a quarter of the total flights (some 1.66 million) did not arrive on time last year, putting connections and plans at risk.
At Frontier, 11.5% of the flights were an hour or more delayed. JetBlue saw 10.7% of its flights delayed by a similar period.
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Of the big three airlines, American saw 9.4% of its flights delayed by more than an hour; United came in at 8.6% and Delta saw 7.4% with extensive delays.
The extended government shutdown played a role in the delays. A repeat of that is unlikely, but there’s still a shortage of air traffic controllers, which can lead to a reduction in flights. And the collapse of Spirit Airlines could mean more gate congestion for other carriers, which would potentially result in delays.
Other data from the study found:
- 2.4 million checked bags, wheelchairs or scooters were mishandled on the 10 largest airlines last year
- Passengers checked 4.7% fewer bags than in 2024
- More than 118,000 flights were canceled by the 10 largest carriers
- 1 out of 7 flights arrived 30 minutes or more late.
- 1 out of 9 flights arrived 45 minutes or more late.
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Still a busy summer
Despite higher costs, largely due to the war in Iran, the air travel industry is expecting a busy summer travel season, but not considerably busier than last year. The U.S. Travel Association (USTA) said it’s expecting spending to increase 1% this year. Total travel spending is forecast to reach $1.37 trillion in 2026.
The World Cup could bring about a rebound in international travelers to the U.S. as well. The USTA predicts 1.6% growth, after last year’s 2.4% decline.
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Chris Morris is a veteran journalist with more than 35 years of experience at many of the internet's biggest news outlets. In addition to his activities as a writer, reporter and editor, Chris is also a frequent panel moderator and speaker at major conferences, including CES and South by Southwest.
