The percentage of flights in May canceled by U.S. carriers increased to 1.4 percent, higher than the 0.6 percent cancellation rate for May 2023 and the 0.7 percent rate reported in April 2024, according to the latest U.S. Department of Transportation Air Travel Consumer Report.
Each of May’s top three carriers with the lowest cancellations rates—Allegiant Air, Delta Air Lines network and Alaska Airlines network—posted rates of 0.4 percent. Networks include branded codeshare partners. Airlines with the highest May cancellation rates included American Airlines Network (2.7 percent), Frontier Airlines (2.6 percent) and Hawaiian Airlines (2.5 percent).
In May, U.S. carriers operated more than 640,000 flights, an increase of about 4.5 percent year over year and 4 percent more than the total operated in April.
For May, carriers handled 43.4 million bags and reported a mishandled baggage rate of 0.58 percent, higher than the May 2023 rate of 0.51 percent and the April 2024 rate of 0.46 percent.
DOT continues to modernize its system for handling consumer complaints and plans to release data on the submissions received from consumers about air travel for January through May 2024 later in August.
DOT: April U.S. Air Cancellations Decline as Flights Increase
