Doha, Qatar: In a notable demonstration of operational excellence, Qatar Airways has earned significant recognition in the aviation industry through Cirium’s 2025 On-Time Performance Review, cementing its reputation as one of the world’s most reliable global carriers.
The airline achieved an 84.42 percent on-time performance rate across a complex global network, securing the Airline Platinum Award and ranking among the top five most punctual airlines worldwide.
The annual Cirium On-Time Performance Review, now in its 17th year, is one of aviation’s most respected benchmarks for punctuality and operational reliability. It analyses flight data from more than 600 real-time sources, including airline operators, airports, global distribution systems, and civil aviation authorities.
An independent advisory board of industry experts oversees the methodology, ensuring that results reflect not just punctuality but also operational discipline, schedule execution, and recovery capability across the industry.
The on-time performance metric used in the Cirium review defines a flight as on time if it arrives within 15 minutes of its scheduled gate arrival time.
While the pure percentage figures provide a snapshot of punctuality, the Platinum Award evaluates performance in context, factoring in network complexity, total flight volume, and how airlines manage irregular operations throughout the year.
Qatar Airways’ performance in 2025 marks an improvement over its 2024 ranking, when it also placed fifth globally with an on-time arrival rate of 82.83 percent.
This year’s improvement to 84.42 percent confirms the airline’s sustained focus on operational cohesion and reliability.
The Airline Platinum Award is a distinctive accolade that goes beyond percentage points. According to Cirium’s Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Bowen, the award recognises carriers that exhibit exceptional operational control and consistency across extensive route networks. For Qatar Airways, this achievement is particularly noteworthy given the scale and complexity of its global operations, with more than 198,303 flights across six continents during the calendar year.
“The ability to maintain a high on-time performance rate across such a widespread and intricate connection hub highlights Qatar Airways’ strategic focus on operational precision, network planning, and disruptive recovery capabilities,” Bowen said in the review commentary.
While Aeromexico claimed the top spot as the world’s most on-time airline with a 90.02 percent punctuality rate, becoming only the second airline to win the global title in consecutive years, Qatar Airways’ position remains highly competitive among the elite group of international carriers. Other airlines rounding out the top ten include Saudia, SAS, and Azul, reflecting a diverse global field delivering strong punctuality.
Qatar Airway’s improved performance in 2025 is especially significant against a backdrop of several operational headwinds. These included weather disruptions, geopolitical airspace constraints, and aircraft availability pressures that tested systematic network resilience. Qatar Airways’ ability to mitigate delays and maintain schedule integrity reflects investments in advanced operational data analysis and agile disruption management.
