These Airlines Are Least Likely to Cancel Your Flights in December, According to a Study

December holiday travel can bring December headaches, but a new study found American Airlines is actually the domestic carrier least likely to cancel your flight.

The major airline cancels just 0.8 percent of its end-of-year flights, the least of any other carrier in the United States, according to a new study by eSIM travel company Airalo that was shared with Travel + Leisure. For the study, the company analyzed December flight data over the past two years.

Overall, American Airlines canceled 1,210 flights in December 2022 and December 2023. 

“December is one of the busiest times of year for travel as people look to take flights to see friends or family to celebrate Christmas. But as people rush to get home in time for the festive season, they could be at risk of delays and even cancelations,” Airalo wrote in the report. “If you’re looking to fly with American Airlines this December… [they are] a good choice of airline to get you home for Christmas.”

Delta Air Lines was the next most-reliable major airline for December travel, canceling 1,873 total flights, or 1.19 percent of its schedule. That was followed by JetBlue, which canceled just 548 flights, but which amounted to 1.21 percent of its schedule; and United Airlines, which canceled 1,497 flights, amounting to 1.27 percent of its schedule.

Small regional carrier Psa Airlines came in at No. 2 on the overall list just behind American Airlines, canceling just 0.98 percent of its schedule, or 298 total flights.

When it comes to being on time, regional airline Republic Airways took the top spot with a December on-time rate of 85.4 percent, followed by Delta Air Lines, which had an on-time rate of 84.3 percent.

According to the study, the top reasons for delayed flights were an air carrier delay, followed by a late arriving aircraft, a larger national aviation system delay, and extreme weather.

Being prepared is one of the best ways to combat airport disruptions. To ensure a smoother travel day, travelers should check for delays in advance and know their rights before any potential issues.