Spirit vs United: 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.

United was more punctual than Spirit over the last 12 months: 79.3% of its flights arrived on time, against 72.8%.

United cancelled fewer flights (1.0% vs 3.9%), and late flights averaged 74 minutes late on Spirit vs 71 on United.

On the 83 routes both airlines fly regularly, Spirit had the better on-time record on 9 and United on 74.

Spirit vs United: key numbers

Last 12 months, all flights each airline operated.

SpiritUnited

On-time arrivals72.8%79.3%

On-time departures72.5%81.4%

Cancelled3.9%1.0%

Diverted0.2%0.3%

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

SpiritUnited

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.

SpiritUnited

Airline (carrier)30.6%25.6%

Weather2.0%4.2%

Air traffic system (NAS)37.0%34.0%

Security0.3%0.0%

Late-arriving aircraft30.1%36.2%

83 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	Spirit on time	United on time	Spirit flights	United flights
MCO → EWR	67.5%	78.6%	1,001	4,016
EWR → MCO	71.3%	79.7%	998	4,016
LGA → ORD	64.5%	67.3%	299	4,665
ORD → LGA	51.3%	67.3%	299	4,665
ORD → EWR	45.6%	72.1%	150	4,391
EWR → ORD	51.6%	71.4%	149	4,389
IAH → ORD	63.3%	78.6%	272	4,048
ORD → IAH	65.7%	80.1%	274	4,040
IAH → LAX	81.7%	84.9%	394	3,439
LAX → IAH	75.9%	87.5%	392	3,438
EWR → LAX	64.8%	72.6%	286	3,539
LAX → EWR	76.4%	78.5%	286	3,538
IAH → EWR	77.4%	74.6%	235	3,534
EWR → IAH	68.8%	81.1%	232	3,534
EWR → FLL	70.5%	78.5%	985	2,707
FLL → EWR	60.0%	78.1%	983	2,706
LAX → ORD	78.3%	80.4%	189	3,388
ORD → LAX	73.0%	77.2%	186	3,387
IAH → MCO	76.9%	85.5%	607	2,462
MCO → IAH	76.4%	84.4%	605	2,463
LAS → IAH	78.3%	85.8%	470	2,594
IAH → LAS	81.9%	84.3%	466	2,595
MCO → ORD	59.4%	75.8%	523	2,496
ORD → MCO	72.3%	79.4%	521	2,496
IAH → MSY	87.8%	83.4%	123	2,776