This Is the Now Most On-Time Airline for MN Travelers in 2026
If you're flying out of Minnesota in 2026, you now have a new reason to smile, as the state’s biggest airline just snagged the top spot in the country again for on-time flights. With thousands of departures tracked last year, this is officially the carrier you can count on to get you there right on time.
When you're traveling, there are few things more frustrating than having your flight delayed, right? From sitting on the tarmac in a delay before taking off, or sitting in the airport terminal waiting for your plane to arrive, delays are extremely frustrating.
Why On-Time Flights Matter So Much to Minnesota Travelers
Which is why the news that the largest airline serving the Land of 10,000 Lakes was just ranked as the most on-time airline in the country in 2025 hits close to home-- and gives Minnesota travelers a ray of hope that they'll get to where they're going, and back again, in a timely fashion.
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The Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP) is the largest airport in the North Star State. Airlines at MSP served 163 nonstop destinations from the North Star State in 2023, up from 156 destinations in 2023 and 145 destinations in 2022.
While 18 different airlines offer service at MSP, Delta Air Lines offers the most, by far. Delta says it runs nearly 330 departures from MSP to 119 destinations across the globe, offering nonstop service to international destinations like Amsterdam, Paris, London, Seoul, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico City, Tokyo-Haneda, and more.
Inside MSP Airport’s Largest Airline Operation
Delta also serves multiple cities in Canada from MSP, including Montréal, Vancouver, Calgary, Winnipeg, and Toronto, and is currently the only carrier at MSP to provide nonstop service to Asia, it says.
And now, Delta Air Lines has been named the top on-time airline in North America by Cirium for the fifth year in a row. According to a release from Delta, the award 'reflects an unwavering commitment to safety, reliability, and service driven by the dedication of Delta people,' the release noted.
How Delta Air Lines Became the Most On-Time in North America
Here are the specific details that put Delta at the top of the rankings for 2025, according to the Cirium survey:
- Delta’s 2025 performance topped all North American carriers, with 80.9% of 1.8 million flights arriving within 15 minutes of schedule.
- This surpassed the nearest competitor by 1.7 percentage points on more than four times the flight volume.
- Delta is also the only U.S. carrier in Cirium’s Top 10 Global Airlines on-time performance rankings.
SEE ALSO: Here's How Much Money Delta Pilots Make in MN
As most Minnesotans know, Delta merged with Minneapolis-based Northwest Airlines back in 2008. Northwest was one of those brands that was once huge here in Minnesota (kind of like Dayton's also was), but that now no longer exists.
Which is the same for many of the following famous brands. Keep scrolling to see how many YOU remember!
