The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of December 2024 and calendar year 2024 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, and oversales. The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines.
For December 2024, 0.7% of flights were cancelled, higher than the 0.4% cancellation rate for December 2023.
In 2024, 1.4% of flights were cancelled, higher than the 1.3% cancellation rate in 2023.
Flight Operations
The 627,365 flights operated in December 2024 were 103.91% of the 603,756 flights operated in December 2023. Operated flights in December 2024 were up 3.91% year-over-year from the 603,756 flights operated in December 2023 and up 2.55% month-over-month from 611,793 flights operated in November 2024.
In December 2024, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 631,944 scheduled domestic flights, 4,579 (0.7%) of which were cancelled. In November 2024, airlines scheduled 614,597 domestic flights, 2,804 (0.5%) of which were cancelled. In December 2023, airlines scheduled 606,218 domestic flights, 2,462 (0.4%) of which were cancelled.
December 2024 On-Time Arrival
In December 2024, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 78.0%, down from both 84.9% in November 2024 and from 83.9% in December 2023.
Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates December 2024 (ATCR Table 1)
- Hawaiian Airlines – 83.6%
- Southwest Airlines – 79.9%
- Delta Air Lines Network – 79.7%
Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates December 2024 (ATCR Table 1)
- JetBlue Airways – 68.3%
- Allegiant Air – 71.8%
- Frontier Airlines – 75.0%
In 2024, the reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 78.10%, down from 78.34% in 2023.
December 2024 Flight Cancellations
In December 2024, reporting marketing carriers cancelled 0.7% of their scheduled domestic flights, higher than both the rate of 0.5% in November 2024 and the rate of 0.4% in December 2023.
Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Cancelled Flights December 2024 (ATCR Table 6)
- Delta Air Lines Network – 0.3%
- Southwest Airlines – 0.5%
- Hawaiian Airlines – 0.5%
Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Cancelled Flights December 2024 (ATCR Table 6)
- Allegiant Air – 1.4%
- Alaska Airlines Network – 1.2%
- JetBlue Airways – 1.1%
In 2024, the reporting marketing carriers posted a cancellation rate of 1.4%, up from 1.3% in 2023.
Tarmac Delays
For calendar year 2024, airlines reported 437 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and 61 tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights. For calendar year 2023, airlines reported 289 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights and 35 tarmac delays of more than four hours on international flights.
In December 2024, airlines reported 46 tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to eight tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights reported in November 2024. In December 2024, airlines reported eight tarmac delays of more than four hours on an international flight, compared to two tarmac delay of more than four hours on international flights reported in November 2024.
Airlines are required to have and adhere to assurances that they will not allow aircraft to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights without providing passengers the option to deplane, subject to exceptions related to safety, security, and Air Traffic Control related reasons. An exception also exists for departure delays if the airline begins to return the aircraft to a suitable disembarkation point to deplane passengers by those times.
Mishandled Baggage
In December 2024, reporting marketing carriers handled 45.7 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.60%, higher than both the rate of 0.39% in November 2024 and the rate of 0.50% in December 2023.
In 2024, the reporting marketing carriers reported a mishandled baggage rate of 0.55%, down from 0.58% in 2023.
Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters
In December 2024, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 76,630 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 925, for a rate of 1.21% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, lower than both the rate of 1.22% mishandled in November 2024 and the rate of 1.39% mishandled in December 2023.
In 2024, the reporting marketing carriers reported a mishandled wheelchair and scooter rate of 1.26%, down from 1.38% in 2023.
Bumping/Oversales
Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly.
For the fourth quarter of 2024, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.25 per 10,000 passengers, higher than the rate of 0.20 in the fourth quarter of 2023, but lower than the rate of 0.28 in the third quarter of 2024.
In 2024, the reporting marketing carriers reported a bumping/oversales rate of 0.28%, down from 0.30% in 2023.
Incidents Involving Animals
In December 2024, carriers reported no incident involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, down from the one report filed in November 2024 and equal to the zero reports filed in December 2023.
For calendar year 2024, carriers reported 10 animal deaths, injuries to three other animals, and zero lost animals, for a total of 13 incidents, up from nine incident reports filed in calendar year 2023.
For calendar year 2024, 161,335 animals were transported by airlines, for a rate of 0.81 incidents per 10,000 animals transported. In 2023, 124,593 animals were transported by airlines, for a rate of 0,72 incidents per 10,000 animals transported.
Consumers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints online at https://secure.dot.gov/air-travel-complaint , or they may mail a complaint to the Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, U.S. Department of Transportation, C-70, W96-432, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, Washington, DC 20590.
The ATCR and other aviation consumer matters of interest to the public can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .