Most and Least Punctual UK Airports and Airlines: August 2026
Official CAA punctuality data for August 2026: see which UK airports and airlines ran the most flights on time, and which had the longest delays.
Every month the UK Civil Aviation Authority publishes official punctuality figures for the country's reporting airports, showing what share of flights ran on time and how long the average delay was. We have pulled out the headline numbers for August 2026 so you can see which airports and airlines were the most reliable, and which kept passengers waiting longest.
The CAA counts a flight as on time if it departs or arrives within fifteen minutes of its scheduled time. In August 2026, Aberdeen was the most punctual reporting airport, while Manchester was the least. Among the busiest airlines, Singapore Airlines came out on top for punctuality and Swiss propped up the table.
Most Punctual UK Airports
These reporting airports had the highest share of flights running on time in August 2026, with the average delay across all their flights shown alongside.
| # | Airport | On time | Average delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aberdeen | 79.0% | 11.4 min |
| 2 | Southend | 78.8% | 14.4 min |
| 3 | Belfast City | 78.2% | 12.6 min |
| 4 | Southampton | 78.1% | 13.4 min |
| 5 | Liverpool | 74.1% | 16.4 min |
| 6 | Heathrow | 73.8% | 14.7 min |
Least Punctual UK Airports
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At the other end of the table, these airports had the lowest share of on time flights in August 2026.
| # | Airport | On time | Average delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manchester | 52.4% | 28.2 min |
| 2 | Birmingham | 58.2% | 24.8 min |
| 3 | Gatwick | 58.2% | 24.4 min |
| 4 | Bristol | 59.5% | 26.4 min |
| 5 | Luton | 60.0% | 25.5 min |
| 6 | Stansted | 61.3% | 25.4 min |
Most Punctual Airlines
Across the fifty busiest airlines at UK airports, these were the most punctual in August 2026.
| # | Airline | On time | Average delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Singapore Airlines | 90.0% | 6.2 min |
| 2 | SAS | 82.5% | 8.2 min |
| 3 | Air India | 81.9% | 11.3 min |
| 4 | Saudi Arabian Airlines | 80.2% | 13.6 min |
| 5 | Austrian Airlines | 79.9% | 10.7 min |
| 6 | Loganair | 79.8% | 10.8 min |
| 7 | Delta Air Lines | 79.3% | 15.0 min |
| 8 | Air China | 78.0% | 19.9 min |
Least Punctual Airlines
And these were the airlines whose passengers faced the most delays in August 2026.
| # | Airline | On time | Average delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swiss | 53.5% | 21.9 min |
| 2 | TAP Air Portugal | 56.6% | 19.1 min |
| 3 | EgyptAir | 56.8% | 24.0 min |
| 4 | Jet2.com | 56.8% | 27.8 min |
| 5 | TUI Airways | 56.8% | 25.6 min |
| 6 | Air Transat | 57.0% | 22.8 min |
| 7 | Emirates | 57.3% | 22.1 min |
| 8 | Easyjet Europe Group | 58.7% | 24.4 min |
What This Means for You
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Punctuality varies month to month and is affected by weather, air traffic control restrictions and one off technical problems, so a single month is a snapshot rather than the final word on any airport or airline. That said, the busiest hub airports and long haul carriers tend to run tighter schedules with less slack, which is why they often sit lower down these tables.
If your flight is delayed by three hours or more, or cancelled, you may be entitled to compensation as well as care such as meals and refreshments. Our flight compensation guide explains exactly where you stand and how to claim. You can also check live boards and recent cancellations at any UK airport on our airports pages, or browse carriers in our airline directory.
Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority punctuality statistics, August 2026. We publish these figures each month as the CAA releases them.
Written by
WhichTerminal Team
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