WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has published its Air Travel Consumer Report for December 2024 and the full year, shedding light on key operational metrics such as on-time performance, flight cancellations, mishandled baggage, and tarmac delays across domestic airlines. The data offers vital insights into trends and challenges in the airline industry.
On-Time Performance Declines
For December 2024, the on-time arrival rate stood at 78.0%, a notable drop from November’s 84.9% and December 2023’s 83.9%. Over the entire year, carriers reported a slight decline in on-time performance, with a rate of 78.10%, compared to 78.34% in 2023.
Hawaiian Airlines led in punctuality for December, achieving an on-time rate of 83.6%, while JetBlue Airways ranked lowest among major carriers, with just 68.3% of flights arriving as scheduled.
Cancellations Rise Slightly
Domestic flight cancellations increased modestly, with 0.7% of flights canceled in December 2024, up from 0.5% in November and 0.4% in December 2023. For the year, the cancellation rate reached 1.4%, edging up from 1.3% in 2023. Delta Air Lines reported the lowest cancellation rate for December at 0.3%, while Allegiant Air topped the list with 1.4%.
Mishandled Baggage and Accessibility Reports
The mishandled baggage rate rose significantly in December 2024 to 0.60%, up from 0.39% in November and 0.50% in December 2023. For the year, however, the 2024 mishandling rate of 0.55% showed slight improvement from 2023’s 0.58%.
Wheelchairs and scooters also saw fewer handling issues. December’s mishandling rate of 1.21% marked an improvement from the 1.39% reported in December 2023. Across the year, the mishandling rate fell to 1.26%, down from 1.38% in 2023.
Longer Tarmac Delays
Tarmac delays rose sharply in 2024, with airlines reporting 437 domestic flights delayed over three hours, compared to 289 in 2023. December alone accounted for 46 such delays, significantly surpassing the eight reported in November 2024.
Oversales and Animal Incidents
Bumping rates slightly improved year-over-year, with 2024 registering 0.28 involuntary denied boardings per 10,000 passengers, down from 0.30 in 2023.
Animal-related travel incidents increased minimally, with 13 reported in 2024 compared to nine in 2023. Despite this rise, the overall incident rate remained low, at 0.81 per 10,000 animals transported.
Industry Outlook
The DOT’s report highlights both the operational challenges and strides made by U.S. airlines in 2024. Declines in on-time performance and rising cancellation rates signal a need for improvement, while gains in baggage and specialized handling reflect progress in key areas. The data provides consumers and industry stakeholders with a clearer view of evolving trends in air travel.
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