Delta vs Frontier: On-Time Performance Compared

Last 12 months · Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026

Delta was more punctual than Frontier over the last 12 months: 81.5% of its flights arrived on time, against 73.1%.

Delta cancelled fewer flights (1.7% vs 1.9%), and late flights averaged 71 minutes late on Delta vs 83 on Frontier.

On the 185 routes both airlines fly regularly, Delta had the better on-time record on 156 and Frontier on 29.

Delta vs Frontier: key numbers

Last 12 months, all flights each airline operated.

DeltaFrontier

On-time arrivals81.5%73.1%

On-time departures81.9%73.6%

Cancelled1.7%1.9%

Diverted0.3%0.2%

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

DeltaFrontier

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.

DeltaFrontier

Airline (carrier)44.7%26.1%

Weather4.1%2.8%

Air traffic system (NAS)21.6%19.5%

Security0.1%0.0%

Late-arriving aircraft29.5%51.6%

185 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	Delta on time	Frontier on time	Delta flights	Frontier flights
ATL → MCO	70.8%	64.8%	5,480	1,223
MCO → ATL	78.8%	67.5%	5,478	1,221
ATL → LGA	76.7%	49.2%	4,935	919
LGA → ATL	80.0%	56.1%	4,932	919
ATL → TPA	75.2%	65.3%	4,401	905
TPA → ATL	81.7%	72.8%	4,401	902
ATL → FLL	74.0%	64.4%	4,315	970
FLL → ATL	78.9%	64.5%	4,311	969
RDU → ATL	88.8%	74.8%	3,802	612
ATL → RDU	82.8%	59.2%	3,801	612
ATL → LAX	79.3%	70.9%	3,844	508
LAX → ATL	81.1%	64.7%	3,840	507
DTW → ATL	81.3%	66.3%	3,742	523
ATL → DTW	78.6%	66.8%	3,737	523
ATL → MIA	71.1%	64.3%	3,306	900
MIA → ATL	77.1%	69.8%	3,308	896
ATL → BOS	75.7%	66.8%	3,693	427
BOS → ATL	81.5%	65.0%	3,688	427
ATL → PHL	76.3%	62.1%	3,016	1,048
PHL → ATL	84.3%	66.4%	3,017	1,046
JAX → ATL	86.6%	49.0%	3,837	209
ATL → JAX	77.1%	54.9%	3,836	209
ATL → LAS	77.6%	63.9%	3,322	576
LAS → ATL	86.5%	74.9%	3,322	575
EWR → ATL	80.0%	71.0%	3,045	708