Frontier vs United: On-Time Performance Compared

Last 12 months · Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026

United was more punctual than Frontier over the last 12 months: 79.3% of its flights arrived on time, against 73.1%.

United cancelled fewer flights (1.0% vs 1.9%), and late flights averaged 83 minutes late on Frontier vs 71 on United.

On the 208 routes both airlines fly regularly, Frontier had the better on-time record on 31 and United on 175, with 2 tied.

Frontier vs United: key numbers

Last 12 months, all flights each airline operated.

FrontierUnited

On-time arrivals73.1%79.3%

On-time departures73.6%81.4%

Cancelled1.9%1.0%

Diverted0.2%0.3%

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

FrontierUnited

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.

FrontierUnited

Airline (carrier)26.1%25.6%

Weather2.8%4.2%

Air traffic system (NAS)19.5%34.0%

Security0.0%0.0%

Late-arriving aircraft51.6%36.2%

208 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	Frontier on time	United on time	Frontier flights	United flights
DEN → IAH	80.2%	79.3%	816	3,899
IAH → DEN	79.8%	82.4%	816	3,899
IAH → ORD	65.2%	78.6%	262	4,048
ORD → IAH	77.8%	80.1%	263	4,040
EWR → MCO	81.5%	79.7%	155	4,016
MCO → EWR	86.9%	78.6%	155	4,016
ORD → DEN	70.3%	78.9%	331	3,816
DEN → ORD	67.2%	72.3%	328	3,815
DEN → SFO	65.4%	70.1%	638	3,412
SFO → DEN	69.8%	82.5%	638	3,410
DEN → LAS	76.4%	79.6%	1,598	2,392
LAS → DEN	77.8%	84.4%	1,595	2,388
LAX → DEN	81.6%	87.8%	783	3,079
DEN → LAX	82.3%	84.3%	782	3,077
DEN → PHX	77.6%	81.5%	1,469	2,362
PHX → DEN	79.6%	83.9%	1,464	2,363
IAH → LAX	73.6%	84.9%	332	3,439
LAX → IAH	69.9%	87.5%	332	3,438
SFO → LAS	63.8%	78.6%	895	2,793
SFO → LAX	68.5%	78.5%	390	3,297
LAS → SFO	62.4%	65.1%	893	2,793
LAX → SFO	49.5%	64.4%	391	3,291
LAX → ORD	60.5%	80.4%	236	3,388
ORD → LAX	64.2%	77.2%	237	3,387
DEN → DFW	75.8%	77.6%	1,165	1,885