United Airlines: On-Time Performance & Delay Statistics
Data through July 2026
United Airlines performs about in line with the industry: 79% of flights on time against a national 78%, 1.1% cancelled, and an average delay of 16 minutes when late. That puts it mid-pack — #7 of 15 US reporting carriers.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Diverted
- 0.3%
- Flights/12mo
- 825,693
- Routes
- 1,142
- Airports
- 134
Monthly on-time trend
United Airlines’s most reliable routes
Best airports for United Airlines
Worst airports for United Airlines
Where United Airlines flies most
| Route | Flights | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORD → LGA | 9,577 | 71% | 23 min |
| LGA → ORD | 9,577 | 72% | 25 min |
| ORD → EWR | 9,033 | 72% | 27 min |
| EWR → ORD | 9,027 | 72% | 22 min |
| IAH → ORD | 8,177 | 79% | 15 min |
| ORD → IAH | 8,170 | 79% | 14 min |
| DEN → IAH | 8,102 | 78% | 15 min |
| IAH → DEN | 8,102 | 81% | 14 min |
| EWR → MCO | 8,002 | 78% | 17 min |
| MCO → EWR | 8,002 | 76% | 24 min |
| EWR → SFO | 7,733 | 72% | 26 min |
| SFO → EWR | 7,730 | 74% | 22 min |
| ORD → DEN | 7,727 | 79% | 16 min |
| DEN → ORD | 7,721 | 73% | 21 min |
| SFO → ORD | 7,685 | 79% | 15 min |
| ORD → SFO | 7,683 | 74% | 19 min |
| EWR → IAH | 7,251 | 78% | 18 min |
| IAH → EWR | 7,249 | 73% | 22 min |
| SFO → DEN | 7,197 | 83% | 12 min |
| DEN → SFO | 7,196 | 74% | 18 min |
| SFO → IAH | 7,196 | 84% | 10 min |
| IAH → SFO | 7,194 | 78% | 16 min |
| IAH → LAX | 7,128 | 84% | 12 min |
| LAX → IAH | 7,124 | 87% | 8 min |
| EWR → LAX | 7,116 | 73% | 23 min |
| LAX → EWR | 7,113 | 78% | 19 min |
| ORD → DCA | 7,108 | 72% | 20 min |
| DCA → ORD | 7,106 | 76% | 21 min |
| SFO → LAX | 6,946 | 82% | 10 min |
| LAX → SFO | 6,941 | 72% | 17 min |
| ORD → LAX | 6,882 | 80% | 15 min |
| LAX → ORD | 6,880 | 83% | 12 min |
| EWR → DEN | 6,789 | 77% | 18 min |
| DEN → EWR | 6,779 | 74% | 21 min |
| LAX → DEN | 6,560 | 87% | 10 min |
| DEN → LAX | 6,557 | 82% | 12 min |
| MSY → IAH | 5,665 | 83% | 14 min |
| IAH → MSY | 5,661 | 81% | 13 min |
| EWR → BOS | 5,626 | 72% | 23 min |
| BOS → EWR | 5,625 | 76% | 22 min |
| IAD → DEN | 5,602 | 82% | 14 min |
| DEN → IAD | 5,598 | 83% | 13 min |
| PBI → EWR | 5,576 | 74% | 27 min |
| EWR → PBI | 5,574 | 78% | 16 min |
| ORD → BOS | 5,470 | 73% | 21 min |
| BOS → ORD | 5,467 | 77% | 19 min |
| LAS → SFO | 5,450 | 72% | 18 min |
| SFO → LAS | 5,448 | 81% | 11 min |
| SFO → IAD | 5,443 | 84% | 11 min |
| IAD → SFO | 5,438 | 80% | 16 min |
Frequently asked questions
- Is United Airlines usually on time?
- United Airlines arrived on time (within 15 minutes of schedule) on 79% of flights between 2024-07 and 2026-07, ranking 7 of 15 US airlines by on-time percentage. The national average over the same period was 78%.
- How often does United Airlines cancel flights?
- 1.1% of United Airlines flights were cancelled in this period, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- Which routes is United Airlines most reliable on?
- United Airlines’s best on-time record is on LIH–DEN, at 96% based on 789 flights in this period.
- Which airports does United Airlines perform best and worst at?
- United Airlines is most reliable out of Lihue (LIH) at 95% on-time, and weakest out of Panama City (ECP) at 68%.
Airport hubs where this airline operates
Related guides
Based on 1,672,125 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.