Airline · BA · United KingdomHow reliable is British Airways?
British Airways runs 68% on time across 1,547,167 flights of official history. Here’s how it really performs — including when it’s late and on which routes.
Reliability score
on-time, cancellations & delays
Network reliability
British Airways’s on-time record across its whole network
Source: UK CAA. All-cause performance (this source has no delay-cause split). Advisory context, not a guarantee for any one flight.
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When flights run late
It’s not just if British Airways is late — it’s how late
Of every 100 British Airways flights, how they actually land — on time, or in each lateness band. A short delay is a nuisance; a 2-hour delay misses connections.
Routes
Where British Airways shines — and where it struggles
Its most and least reliable routes by on-time rate (routes with a meaningful sample). Tap an airport for its full profile.
The read on British Airways
What the record actually tells you about flying British Airways
British Airways runs about 68% on time across 1,547,167 flights of official all-cause history — a middling record — fine on a good day, fragile when conditions turn. On cancellations, cancellations run a moderate 1.9%.
It's not just whether a flight is late, but how late. When British Airways runs behind, the typical delay lands around 17 minutes, and only a small slice — about 1.6% — slip two hours or more, so the worst-case tail is relatively contained.
Reliability isn't uniform across British Airways's map. Its strongest route in the data is LOS–LHR, running around 91% on time, while LHR–ISB is among its weakest at about 32%. That gap is the whole point: judge British Airways on the route you're actually flying, not on its overall average.
A track record is the backdrop, not a verdict on your flight. To put it to work, score your actual British Airways flight on reliability, weather, and connection safety, see how the PlaneSane Score works, and read are some airlines really more reliable and how to read on-time stats.
Common questions about British Airways
- How often is British Airways on time?
- British Airways (BA) ran about 68% on time across 1,547,167 flights of official history — a middling record — fine on a good day, fragile when conditions turn. Its cancellation rate is roughly 1.9%.
- Is British Airways a reliable airline?
- On the numbers, British Airways has a middling record — fine on a good day, fragile when conditions turn. Typical delays run around 17 minutes when flights are late. Reliability varies by route and time of day, so check your specific flight rather than the brand average. It's advisory context, not a guarantee for any one flight.
- Which routes does British Airways fly most reliably?
- In our data, LOS–LHR is among British Airways's most reliable routes at about 91% on time, while LHR–ISB is among its weakest near 32%. The same airline can perform very differently route to route.
Flying British Airways?
Score your actual flight on reliability, weather, and connection safety before you book — British Airways’s track record is just the start.