The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) today released its Air Travel Consumer Report (ATCR) on airline operational data compiled for the month of November 2024 for on-time performance, mishandled baggage, and mishandled wheelchairs and scooters. The ATCR is designed to assist consumers with information on the quality of services provided by airlines.
For November 2024, 0.5% of flights were cancelled, higher than the 0.1% cancellation rate for November 2023.
Flight Operations
The 611,793 flights operated in November 2024 were 102.14% of the 598,987 flights operated in November 2023. Operated flights in November 2024 were up 2.14% year-over-year from the 598,987 flights operated in November 2023 and down 5.87% month-over-month from 649,969 flights operated in October 2024.
In November 2024, the 10 marketing network carriers reported 614,597 scheduled domestic flights, 2,804 (0.5%) of which were cancelled. In October 2024, airlines scheduled 656,283 domestic flights, 6,314 (1.0%) of which were cancelled. In November 2023, airlines scheduled 599,814 domestic flights, 827 (0.1%) of which were cancelled.
November 2024 On-Time Arrival
In November 2024, reporting marketing carriers posted an on-time arrival rate of 84.9%, down from 86.0% in October 2024 and down from 86.3% in November 2023. The year-to-date on-time arrival rate for 2024 is 78.1%.
Highest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates November 2024 (ATCR Table 1)
- Hawaiian Airlines – 89.2%
- Delta Air Lines Network – 88.6%
- Southwest Airlines – 86.9%
Lowest Marketing Carrier On-Time Arrival Rates November 2024 (ATCR Table 1)
- Frontier Airlines – 76.7%
- Alaska Airlines Network – 81.6%
- United Airlines Network – 81.8%
November 2024 Flight Cancellations
In November 2024, reporting marketing carriers cancelled 0.5% of their scheduled domestic flights, lower than the rate of 1.0% in October 2024 but higher than the rate of 0.1% in November 2023. The year-to-date cancellation rate for 2024 is 1.4%.
Lowest Marketing Carrier Rates of Cancelled Flights November 2024 (ATCR Table 6)
- JetBlue Airways – 0.0%
- Delta Air Lines Network – 0.0%
- Allegiant Air – 0.1%
Highest Marketing Carrier Rates of Cancelled Flights November 2024 (ATCR Table 6)
- Frontier Airlines – 0.9%
- Alaska Airlines Network – 0.8%
- United Airlines Network – 0.8%
Tarmac Delays
In November 2024, airlines reported six tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights, compared to two tarmac delays of more than three hours on domestic flights reported in October 2024. In November 2024, airlines reported two tarmac delays of more than four hours on an international flight, compared to zero tarmac delay of more than four hours on international flights reported in October 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 November 2024, reporting marketing carriers handled 37.6 million bags and posted a mishandled baggage rate of 0.39%, higher than the rate of 0.38% in October 2024 and equal to the rate of 0.39% in November 2023.
Mishandled Wheelchairs and Scooters
In November 2024, reporting marketing carriers reported checking 73,874 wheelchairs and scooters and mishandling 904 for a rate of 1.22% mishandled wheelchairs and scooters, higher than the rate of 1.17% mishandled in October 2024 and lower than the rate of 1.26% mishandled in November 2023.
Bumping/Oversales
Bumping/oversales data, unlike other air carrier data, are reported quarterly rather than monthly. For the third quarter of 2024, the 10 U.S. reporting marketing carriers posted an involuntary denied boarding, or bumping, rate of 0.28 per 10,000 passengers, lower than both the rate of 0.35 in the third quarter of 2023, and the rate of 0.33 in the second quarter of 2024.
Incidents Involving Animals
In November 2024, carriers reported one incident involving the death, injury, or loss of an animal while traveling by air, equal to both the one report filed in October 2024 and the one report filed in November 2023. November’s incident involved the death of one animal.
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 .