American vs Frontier: On-Time Performance Compared

Last 12 months · Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026

Over the last 12 months 74.6% of American flights arrived on time, compared with 73.1% for Frontier.

Frontier cancelled fewer flights (1.9% vs 2.2%), and late flights averaged 85 minutes late on American vs 83 on Frontier.

On the 190 routes both airlines fly regularly, American had the better on-time record on 117 and Frontier on 73.

American vs Frontier: key numbers

Last 12 months, all flights each airline operated.

AmericanFrontier

On-time arrivals74.6%73.1%

On-time departures73.6%73.6%

Cancelled2.2%1.9%

Diverted0.4%0.2%

On-time arrival % each month, last 24 months.

AmericanFrontier

60%70%80%90%

Aug ’24Nov ’24Feb ’25May ’25Aug ’25Nov ’25Feb ’26May ’26

Share of each airline’s reported delay minutes by cause, last 12 months.

AmericanFrontier

Airline (carrier)33.7%26.1%

Weather5.6%2.8%

Air traffic system (NAS)13.6%19.5%

Security0.1%0.0%

Late-arriving aircraft46.9%51.6%

190 routes where each airline had at least 100 completed flights in the last 12 months; the 25 busiest are shown. Better on-time rate in bold.

Route	American on time	Frontier on time	American flights	Frontier flights
DFW → PHX	71.8%	76.6%	4,614	602
PHX → DFW	80.1%	79.2%	4,609	602
DFW → LAX	69.2%	78.0%	4,576	478
LAX → DFW	72.7%	73.2%	4,568	478
LAS → DFW	80.5%	79.0%	3,987	841
DFW → LAS	66.8%	75.5%	3,984	841
DFW → ORD	66.1%	69.8%	4,245	449
ORD → DFW	68.8%	68.4%	4,242	452
DFW → LGA	63.7%	61.2%	4,300	292
LGA → DFW	71.5%	63.8%	4,297	291
DFW → MIA	67.6%	67.9%	4,303	270
MIA → DFW	74.3%	76.6%	4,303	267
MCO → DFW	73.2%	78.2%	3,669	777
DFW → MCO	60.7%	73.5%	3,670	774
MCO → CLT	79.0%	79.6%	3,678	634
CLT → MCO	71.2%	73.3%	3,678	633
PHL → MCO	74.0%	69.8%	2,601	1,573
MCO → PHL	75.7%	70.2%	2,601	1,571
DEN → DFW	73.9%	75.8%	2,939	1,165
DFW → DEN	62.2%	76.9%	2,935	1,166
CLT → DFW	78.2%	70.9%	3,595	261
DFW → CLT	73.5%	78.6%	3,594	262
LGA → MIA	71.2%	67.3%	3,560	119
MIA → LGA	66.0%	60.0%	3,560	119
DFW → ATL	70.7%	66.0%	2,629	907