How often is South African Airways on time?

South African Airways (SA) ran 75% on time across 161 flights of official data.

Airline · SA · South Africa

How reliable is South African Airways?

South African Airways runs 75% on time across 161 flights of official history. Here’s how it really performs — including when it’s late and on which routes.

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Reliability score

on-time, cancellations & delays

Photo: Joe Ravi / CC BY-SA 3.0

Network reliability

South African Airways’s on-time record across its whole network

75%

On-time flights

within 15 min of schedule

1.2%

Cancellation rate

all causes

18 min

Avg. delay

when delayed

161

Flights analyzed

low confidence

Source: UK CAA. 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 South African Airways is late — it’s how late

Of every 100 South African 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.

On time 74.8%15–30 min late 10.5%30–60 min late 9.8%1–2 hr late 1.8%2 hr+ late 1.9%

The read on South African Airways

What the record actually tells you about flying South African Airways

South African Airways runs about 75% on time across 161 flights of official all-cause history — a respectable, middle-of-the-pack record. On cancellations, cancellations are rare here, at roughly 1.2%.

It's not just whether a flight is late, but how late. When South African Airways runs behind, the typical delay lands around 18 minutes, and only a small slice — about 1.9% — slip two hours or more, so the worst-case tail is relatively contained.

A track record is the backdrop, not a verdict on your flight. To put it to work, score your actual South African 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 South African Airways

How often is South African Airways on time?: South African Airways (SA) ran about 75% on time across 161 flights of official history — a respectable, middle-of-the-pack record. Its cancellation rate is roughly 1.2%.
Is South African Airways a reliable airline?: On the numbers, South African Airways has a respectable, middle-of-the-pack record. Typical delays run around 18 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.

Flying South African Airways?

Score your actual flight on reliability, weather, and connection safety before you book — South African Airways’s track record is just the start.

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