Southwest vs Spirit: On-Time Performance Compared

Last 12 months · Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026

Spirit Airlines has not reported flights to BTS since May 2026. Figures cover its flights up to then.

Over the last 12 months 76.4% of Southwest flights arrived on time, compared with 72.8% for Spirit.

Southwest cancelled fewer flights (0.9% vs 3.9%), and late flights averaged 53 minutes late on Southwest vs 74 on Spirit.

On the 116 routes both airlines fly regularly, Southwest had the better on-time record on 44 and Spirit on 71, with 1 tied.

Southwest vs Spirit: key numbers

Last 12 months, all flights each airline operated.

SouthwestSpirit

On-time arrivals76.4%72.8%

On-time departures71.8%72.5%

Cancelled0.9%3.9%

Diverted0.2%0.2%

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

SouthwestSpirit

50%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.

SouthwestSpirit

Airline (carrier)28.4%30.6%

Weather2.3%2.0%

Air traffic system (NAS)17.9%37.0%

Security0.3%0.3%

Late-arriving aircraft51.1%30.1%

116 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	Southwest on time	Spirit on time	Southwest flights	Spirit flights
MCO → BWI	76.8%	68.2%	3,587	514
BWI → MCO	77.0%	70.3%	3,575	515
BUR → LAS	80.9%	83.0%	3,213	797
LAS → BUR	77.4%	87.2%	3,179	795
LAS → SAN	61.1%	80.4%	3,765	169
SAN → LAS	73.9%	85.0%	3,747	170
LAS → RNO	78.6%	87.3%	3,317	480
RNO → LAS	82.6%	87.1%	3,315	481
LAS → SMF	77.5%	78.0%	3,452	129
SMF → LAS	78.8%	85.2%	3,444	129
LAS → SJC	78.2%	83.1%	3,275	137
SJC → LAS	80.8%	83.1%	3,247	138
BNA → MCO	73.1%	79.4%	2,655	643
MCO → BNA	73.9%	71.8%	2,651	643
LAS → SNA	78.4%	88.2%	2,510	679
SNA → LAS	81.4%	89.8%	2,506	680
LAS → LAX	68.9%	87.6%	2,382	555
LAX → LAS	71.2%	84.9%	2,377	550
BWI → FLL	76.0%	78.3%	2,127	775
FLL → BWI	73.9%	70.9%	2,108	774
MCO → SJU	69.0%	73.0%	2,062	547
SJU → MCO	79.8%	77.4%	2,062	547
MCO → AUS	75.9%	72.2%	1,906	175
AUS → MCO	69.8%	64.4%	1,906	174
MCO → MSY	74.2%	72.2%	1,613	457