Best Airlines in 2016

The FlightStats OPS Awards recognized best airlines around the world in 2016 for on-time performance. Airlines below deliver the highest percentage of flights to their arrival gates within 15 minutes of the scheduled arrival time. To determine the finalists and winners, FlightStats examines flight status and arrival data aggregated from global sources including civil aviation authorities, airlines, airports, and major airline reservation systems.

The report covers airlines in the following eight (8) categories:

1. Major International Airlines
2. Airline Alliances
3. North American Major Airlines
4. European Major Airlines
5. Asia-Pacific Major Airlines
6. Middle East & Africa Major Airlines
7. Latin American Major Airlines
8. Low-Cost Carrier

This year, the awards expanded to recognize the best Major Global Airline and best Major Global Airline Network in each of the regional categories as well as the international category. “Network” is defined as a system of flights that are marketed by a major airline but are operated by a separate airline partner. Most big, full-service airlines have these types of regional partnerships where as many as 8-10 carriers operate flights on their behalf.

MAJOR INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES
Network
WINNER: KLM
FINALISTS: KLM, Iberia, JAL, Qatar Airways, Austrian, ANA, Singapore Airlines, Delta Air Lines, TAM Linhas Aereas, Qantas

Mainline
WINNER: Iberia
FINALISTS: Iberia, JAL, Delta Air Lines, KLM, Qatar Airways, Austrian, Singapore Airlines, ANA, TAM Linhas Aereas, Qantas

AIRLINE ALLIANCE
WINNER: oneworld
FINALISTS: oneworld, Star Alliance, SkyTeam

NORTH AMERICAN MAJOR AIRLINES
Network
WINNER: Alaska Airlines
FINALISTS: Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, WestJet, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Virgin America, JetBlue Airways, Air Canada

Mainline
WINNER: Alaska Airlines
FINALISTS: Alaska Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, WestJet, American Airlines, Frontier Airlines, Virgin America, JetBlue Airways, Air Canada

EUROPEAN MAJOR AIRLINES
Network
WINNER: Iberia
FINALISTS: Iberia, Austrian, Lufthansa, S7 Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, SWISS, Condor, British Airways, EasyJet, Vueling

Mainline
WINNER: Iberia
FINALISTS: Iberia, KLM, Austrian, S7 Airlines, SAS, Lufthansa, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Aeroflot, Condor, SWISS

ASIA-PACIFIC MAJOR AIRLINES
Network
WINNER: JAL
FINALISTS: JAL, Virgin Australia, ANA, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, Air New Zealand, Jet Airways (India), Cathay Pacific, Jetstar, IndiGo

Mainline
WINNER: JAL
FINALISTS: JAL, Virgin Australia, Singapore Airlines, ANA, Qantas, Air New Zealand, Jet Airways (India), Cathay Pacific, Jetstar, IndiGo

MIDDLE EAST and AFRICA MAJOR AIRLINES
Network
WINNER: Qatar Airways
FINALISTS: Qatar Airways, Saudia, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Flydubai, Kenya Airways, Pegasus

Mainline
WINNER: Qatar Airways
FINALISTS: Qatar Airways, South African Airways, Saudia, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Flydubai, Kenya Airways, Pegasus

LATIN AMERICAN MAJOR AIRLINES
Network
WINNER: Copa Airlines
FINALISTS: Copa Airlines, TAM Linhas Aereas, Gol, Aerolineas Argentinas, LAN Airlines, AVIANCA, Aeromexico

Mainline
WINNER: Copa Airlines
FINALISTS: Copa Airlines, TAM Linhas Aereas, Gol, Aerolineas Argentinas, LAN Airlines, Aeromexico, AVIANCA

LOW-COST AIRLINES
WINNER: Iberia Express
FINALISTS: Iberia Express, Air Baltic, Solaseed Air, Air Do, WestJet, Southwest Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Nok Air, NIKI, Frontier Airlines