The Top 3 Most Reliable Airlines UK edition - 2023 Rankings for Reliability by AirAdvisor
A delayed flight is annoying, and a cancelled flight is even worse. To minimize the instances of disruption on your next flight, we decided to put together a list of the most reliable airlines (UK edition) so that you can be a little more prepared next time you take to the skies.
As part of a larger study on the overall Top 10 UK Airlines, we soon discovered which UK airlines arrive on time most often and which have the lowest percentages of cancelled flights. In all, we looked at nearly 1.5 million flights in 2022 and up to the end of June 2023.
With special consideration given to airlines with the most annual flights, we found that the percentages varied widely:
- The on-time percentage in the UK ranges from as high as 84% to as low as 50.79%.
- The cancellation percentage can be as low as 0.02% and up to 22.2%.
Armed with this information, it was a logical next step to determine the most reliable airlines UK. Here are the top 3:
#1 UK Airline for Reliability - Jet2
To take the top spot in the competitive category, Jet2 had the second-highest on-time percentage in 2023 at 75.75%. In 2022, the airline fared a little worse with an on-time percentage of 72%, tied with easyJet. While not the best of the bunch for delays, Jet2 excels at other things.
Cancelled flights are extremely uncommon with this budget-friendly airline. In both years, their cancelled flight percentage was less than 1% (0.09% in 2022 and 0.02% in 2023). You can rest assured that you won’t have to change flight plans on a dime when you choose Jet2.
#2 Most Reliable - easyJet
Pretty much everyone in the UK has heard of easyJet, and so many people choose this low-cost carrier annually that it takes the top spot for the number of flights in 2022 and 2023.
Add that to solid scores in cancelled flights and on-time flights, and you’ll see why easyJet is among the most reliable airlines in the UK.
As for the numbers, the low-cost carrier took third place in both years for cancellations (1.55% in 2022 and 1.65% in 2023). We know this isn’t as good as Jet2, but still, your chances of encountering a flight cancellation with easyJet are definitely low.
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For delays, the results weren’t as good, but easyJet’s on-time percentage in 2022 was a solid 72% (tied with Jet2, as mentioned). It’s 2023 that let the airline down, as they had a percentage of 67.77%.
Even with a slip in delayed flights in 2023, easyJet was still able to take second place.
#3 Most Reliable - Virgin Atlantic
Virgin Atlantic is our third-place winner, although, for cancelled flights in both years, the airline was able to secure the second-place spot with numbers of 0.70% and 0.30%. The good news is that after Jet2, your flight is least likely to be cancelled when you book with Virgin.
Virgin Atlantic also features in the top 3 for the lowest percentage of delays in both years. In 2022, their on-time percentage was 73.95% (#2), and it was 75.72% (#3) in 2023.
The only reason Virgin doesn’t appear higher in the list is their size. They don’t run nearly as many flights annually as easyJet or Jet2, which affected the overall position.
Other Interesting Findings
When we look at the overall numbers, some of the other notable findings can get lost. Here are a few highlights that emerged from our research:
- British Airways had the second-highest number of flights after easyJet and was in fourth place for cancelled flights, with an average on-time percentage of 3.05% for the period.
- Aurigny Air Services encountered the most cancelled flights (as a percentage of total flights), with a score of 17.28% in 2022 and 22.20% in 2023. That’s a lot of cancelled flights!
- In both 2022 and 2023, Blue Islands had the best on-time percentage - 78% and 84%, respectively.
- The worst on-time percentage in both years is awarded to Wizz Air UK, with a dismal score in 2022 of 50.79%. So, basically, in 2022, half of Wizz Air UK’s flights were delayed.
Have you flown Wizz Air or another UK airline within the last two years and experienced a delay of 3 hours or more?
Conclusion
The bottom line is that when you need the most reliable airlines, UK passengers should try to stick with Jet2, easyJet, and Virgin Atlantic whenever possible. Outside of that, Blue Islands, although flights are limited, and British Airways are other great options.
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