Airline · CA · ChinaHow reliable is Air China?
Air China runs 80% on time across 7,307 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
Air China’s on-time record across its whole network
Source: UK CAA · data through 2025-12-31. All-cause performance (this source has no delay-cause split). Advisory context, not a guarantee for any one flight.
When flights run late
It’s not just if Air China is late — it’s how late
Of every 100 Air China 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 Air China 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 Air China
What the record actually tells you about flying Air China
Air China runs about 80% on time across 7,307 flights of official all-cause history — a solid, above-average on-time record. On cancellations, cancellations are rare here, at roughly 0.8%.
It's not just whether a flight is late, but how late. When Air China runs behind, the typical delay lands around 11 minutes, and only a small slice — about 1.1% — slip two hours or more, so the worst-case tail is relatively contained.
Reliability isn't uniform across Air China's map. Its strongest route in the data is PEK–SHA, running around 92% on time, while SYX–PEK is among its weakest at about 68%. That gap is the whole point: judge Air China 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 Air China flight on reliability, weather, and connection safety, see how the Peace of Mind Score works, and read are some airlines really more reliable and how to read on-time stats.
Common questions about Air China
- How often is Air China on time?
- Air China (CA) ran about 80% on time across 7,307 flights of official history — a solid, above-average on-time record. Its cancellation rate is roughly 0.8%.
- Is Air China a reliable airline?
- On the numbers, Air China has a solid, above-average on-time record. Typical delays run around 11 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 Air China fly most reliably?
- In our data, PEK–SHA is among Air China's most reliable routes at about 92% on time, while SYX–PEK is among its weakest near 68%. The same airline can perform very differently route to route.
Reliability guides
Flying Air China?
Score your actual flight on reliability, weather, and connection safety before you book — Air China’s track record is just the start.