New official data has revealed the UK's top-performing airport for getting travellers away on schedule, with a Scottish hub taking the crown.
A Scottish Success Story
According to a comprehensive report from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), Aberdeen Airport has been named the most punctual airport in the UK for 2025. The data, which covers the first six months of the year, shows that an impressive 83 per cent of flights from Aberdeen departed or arrived within 15 minutes of their scheduled time.
This outstanding performance placed it firmly at the top of the national rankings. The study, which analysed information from 25 of the UK's largest airports, also highlighted a strong showing from other regional hubs.
The Best and Worst for Delays
Following closely behind Aberdeen was Belfast City Airport, which achieved a punctuality rate of 82.5 per cent. Liverpool Airport also performed well, with 82 per cent of its flights on time.
In a tie for fifth place, both Glasgow Airport and London City Airport recorded a solid 80 per cent punctuality rate, making London City the highest-ranked airport in the capital.
However, the news was not as positive for some of England's major airports. Manchester Airport was found to be the worst in the UK for delays, with only 71.5 per cent of flights running to schedule in the first half of 2025.
Birmingham International Airport was not far behind, recording a punctuality rate of just 72.5 per cent, which fell below the national average of 77 per cent.
Defining Punctuality and Regional Disparities
The CAA's methodology defines a flight as 'on-time' if it arrives or departs from the airport gate within a 15-minute window of its scheduled time. This data provides a clear and consistent measure of performance across the entire aviation network.
The report also cast a spotlight on the mixed fortunes for Scotland. While Aberdeen and Glasgow excelled, Edinburgh Airport found itself among the ten worst major UK airports for delays. Only 76.5 per cent of its flights met the on-time criteria, a figure that was matched by Southampton Airport.
For passengers planning their travel, this data offers a crucial insight into which airports are most likely to get them to their destination without frustrating holdups.
