Busiest airlines, August 2026

119,546 flights, Southwest Airlines (WN)

The busiest airline in August 2026 was Southwest Airlines (WN), with 119,546 flights.

August 2026 (1–31 August 2026) Source: www.airportia.com/statistics/busiest-airlines/2026-08/

Period: 1–31 August 2026 (UTC). Data calculated on 3 November 2026 at 04:00 UTC. In the average departure delay, early and cancelled flights count as 0. How we calculate this

Top 15 airlines by flights
Busiest airlines, August 2026: top 15, flights1–31 August 2026. Source: Airportia.1. Southwest Airlines (WN): 119,546 (115,463 flights)1. Southwest Airlines (WN)119,5462. American Airlines (AA): 116,653 (112,847 flights)2. American Airlines (AA)116,6533. Ryanair (FR): 116,586 (112,818 flights)3. Ryanair (FR)116,5864. Delta Air Lines (DL): 110,787 (107,080 flights)4. Delta Air Lines (DL)110,7875. United Airlines (UA): 102,892 (99,544 flights)5. United Airlines (UA)102,8926. SkyWest Airlines (OO): 79,240 (76,624 flights)6. SkyWest Airlines (OO)79,2407. China Eastern Airlines (MU): 79,111 (76,514 flights)7. China Eastern Airlines (MU)79,1118. China Southern Airlines (CZ): 76,245 (73,732 flights)8. China Southern Airlines (CZ)76,2459. Air China (CA): 55,489 (53,666 flights)9. Air China (CA)55,48910. IndiGo Airlines (6E): 55,352 (53,513 flights)10. IndiGo Airlines (6E)55,35211. LATAM Airlines (LA): 52,889 (51,132 flights)11. LATAM Airlines (LA)52,88912. Turkish Airlines (TK): 45,285 (43,789 flights)12. Turkish Airlines (TK)45,28513. easyJet (U2): 40,965 (39,575 flights)13. easyJet (U2)40,96514. Alaska Airlines (AS): 35,771 (34,574 flights)14. Alaska Airlines (AS)35,77115. Lufthansa (LH): 33,194 (32,111 flights)15. Lufthansa (LH)33,194

Every airline with at least one flight in the period and reported departure times is included.

Full ranking: 813 airlines

The first 100 are shown here; the CSV has all 813.

# Airline Country Flights Avg departure delay Cancelled Flights
1 Southwest Airlines (WN) United States United States 119,546 32.7 min 0.7% 115,463
2 American Airlines (AA) United States United States 116,653 39.0 min 3.7% 112,847
3 Ryanair (FR) Ireland Ireland 116,586 32.1 min 0.4% 112,818
4 Delta Air Lines (DL) United States United States 110,787 30.7 min 2.6% 107,080
5 United Airlines (UA) United States United States 102,892 41.9 min 2.5% 99,544
6 SkyWest Airlines (OO) United States United States 79,240 36.6 min 0.2% 76,624
7 China Eastern Airlines (MU) China China 79,111 25.4 min 3.5% 76,514
8 China Southern Airlines (CZ) China China 76,245 25.3 min 1.6% 73,732
9 Air China (CA) China China 55,489 29.4 min 2.8% 53,666
10 IndiGo Airlines (6E) India India 55,352 17.0 min 0.3% 53,513
11 LATAM Airlines (LA) Chile Chile 52,889 19.2 min 1.5% 51,132
12 Turkish Airlines (TK) Turkey Turkey 45,285 27.6 min 0.8% 43,789
13 easyJet (U2) United Kingdom United Kingdom 40,965 32.7 min 3.0% 39,575
14 Alaska Airlines (AS) United States United States 35,771 28.9 min 1.8% 34,574
15 Lufthansa (LH) Germany Germany 33,194 26.3 min 1.3% 32,111
16 Envoy Air (MQ) United States United States 31,926 27.5 min 0.0% 30,877
17 JetBlue Airways (B6) United States United States 31,817 47.9 min 4.5% 30,778
18 Japan Airlines (JL) Japan Japan 28,989 23.4 min 2.6% 28,063
19 All Nippon Airways (NH) Japan Japan 27,777 24.4 min 2.7% 26,887
20 Aeroflot (SU) Russia Russia 26,056 31.1 min 1.1% 25,192
21 Air Canada (AC) Canada Canada 25,560 27.1 min 6.0% 24,720
22 Hainan Airlines (HU) China China 25,519 24.0 min 2.5% 24,694
23 AirAsia (AK) Malaysia Malaysia 25,497 11.4 min 0.5% 24,660
24 LATAM Airlines Brasil (JJ) Brazil Brazil 25,360 20.8 min 0.0% 24,514
25 Shenzhen Airlines (ZH) China China 25,058 30.9 min 2.2% 24,232
26 Qantas (QF) Australia Australia 25,050 13.1 min 1.0% 24,253
27 easyJet Europe (EC) Austria Austria 24,695 35.3 min 0.5% 23,853
28 Air France (AF) France France 24,671 32.3 min 1.2% 23,857
29 British Airways (BA) United Kingdom United Kingdom 24,521 32.1 min 2.1% 23,715
30 Azul Brazilian Airlines (AD) Brazil Brazil 24,459 14.0 min 1.1% 23,631
31 Avianca (AV) Colombia Colombia 23,996 17.8 min 3.6% 23,206
32 Endeavor Air (9E) United States United States 23,911 38.7 min 0.3% 23,105
33 SAS (SK) Norway Norway 23,898 15.9 min 0.8% 23,095
34 KLM (KL) Netherlands Netherlands 23,187 25.3 min 1.8% 22,437
35 Pegasus Airlines (PC) Turkey Turkey 22,911 25.7 min 0.1% 22,165
36 Vueling (VY) Spain Spain 22,868 28.6 min 0.7% 22,119
37 PSA Airlines (OH) United States United States 22,281 48.4 min 0.6% 21,543
38 Sichuan Airlines (3U) China China 22,209 21.4 min 2.2% 21,484
39 Xiamen Airlines (MF) China China 22,201 27.1 min 3.2% 21,454
40 GOL Transportes Aeros (G3) Brazil Brazil 21,586 16.5 min 1.2% 20,870
41 Frontier Airlines (F9) United States United States 21,492 43.1 min 1.6% 20,757
42 Qatar Airways (QR) Qatar Qatar 20,415 29.5 min 0.2% 19,736
43 Republic Airlines (YX) United States United States 20,376 8.4 min 0.1% 19,719
44 Shandong Airlines (SC) China China 20,097 22.9 min 1.8% 19,429
45 Spring Airlines (9C) China China 19,441 28.8 min 3.2% 18,810
46 Wizz Air (W6) Hungary Hungary 19,123 30.7 min 0.2% 18,502
47 WestJet (WS) Canada Canada 18,820 17.2 min 6.6% 18,199
48 Volaris (Y4) Mexico Mexico 18,623 18.6 min 0.1% 18,028
49 Eurowings (EW) Germany Germany 18,619 30.9 min 1.2% 17,986
50 Ethiopian Airlines (ET) Ethiopia Ethiopia 18,276 31.9 min 0.7% 17,679
51 Air India (AI) India India 18,082 22.4 min 0.9% 17,489
52 Wizz Air Malta (W4) Malta Malta 17,684 35.4 min 0.4% 17,105
53 Saudi Arabian Airlines (SV) Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 17,275 17.8 min 7.0% 16,727
54 Emirates (EK) United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates 16,358 50.8 min 0.4% 15,822
55 AJet (VF) Singapore Singapore 16,347 20.9 min 0.1% 15,785
56 Jet2.com (LS) United Kingdom United Kingdom 16,333 43.6 min 0.0% 15,792
57 Vietnam Airlines (VN) Vietnam Vietnam 15,276 23.3 min 0.1% 14,780
58 Iberia (IB) Spain Spain 15,197 22.1 min 1.4% 14,668
59 Aeroméxico (AM) Mexico Mexico 14,969 23.2 min 0.0% 14,487
60 VivaAerobus (VB) Mexico Mexico 14,922 25.0 min 1.2% 14,443
61 Virgin Australia (VA) Australia Australia 13,982 19.0 min 0.8% 13,502
62 Air New Zealand (NZ) New Zealand New Zealand 13,742 16.7 min 2.3% 13,254
63 Swiss (LX) Switzerland Switzerland 13,643 32.9 min 1.3% 13,200
64 Copa Airlines (CM) Panama Panama 13,380 19.9 min 0.4% 12,944
65 Cathay Pacific (CX) Hong Kong Hong Kong 13,175 42.6 min 0.7% 12,733
66 Piedmont Airlines (PT) United States United States 13,141 42.0 min 0.1% 12,709
67 Korean Air (KE) South Korea South Korea 12,959 26.8 min 0.2% 12,530
68 Aegean Airlines (A3) Greece Greece 12,931 28.5 min 0.1% 12,507
69 Air India Express (IX) India India 12,923 32.6 min 1.2% 12,501
70 VietJet Air (VJ) Vietnam Vietnam 12,798 32.9 min 0.1% 12,412
71 Transavia France (TO) France France 12,731 28.9 min 0.6% 12,308
72 SunExpress (XQ) Turkey Turkey 12,663 30.4 min 0.2% 12,252
73 Austrian Airlines (OS) Austria Austria 12,222 21.3 min 1.0% 11,818
74 Jazz Air (QK) Canada Canada 12,206 37.1 min 0.3% 11,792
75 Tianjin Airlines (GS) China China 12,048 24.9 min 3.3% 11,643
76 CEBU Pacific Air (5J) Philippines Philippines 11,962 25.1 min 1.7% 11,594
77 China Express Airlines (G5) China China 11,841 17.6 min 6.1% 11,445
78 LOT (LO) Poland Poland 11,661 28.0 min 0.2% 11,266
79 Juneyao Airlines (HO) China China 11,500 32.4 min 4.4% 11,123
80 ITA Airways (AZ) Italy Italy 11,462 35.3 min 2.8% 11,091
81 Singapore Airlines (SQ) Singapore Singapore 11,235 26.0 min 0.4% 10,863
82 Lion Airlines (JT) Indonesia Indonesia 11,219 23.2 min 0.1% 10,867
83 Jetstar Airways (JQ) Australia Australia 11,094 23.9 min 0.7% 10,705
84 TAP Portugal (TP) Portugal Portugal 11,081 34.7 min 0.5% 10,724
85 Rossiya (FV) Russia Russia 10,984 33.3 min 0.2% 10,625
86 Finnair (AY) Finland Finland 10,631 17.8 min 1.2% 10,276
87 Allegiant Air (G4) United States United States 10,515 31.2 min 0.3% 10,114
88 Shanghai Airlines (FM) China China 10,434 28.1 min 6.6% 10,097
89 Widerøe (WF) Norway Norway 10,324 6.5 min 2.0% 9,937
90 Etihad Airways (EY) United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates 10,209 42.6 min 0.1% 9,880
91 flynas (XY) Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia 9,846 19.8 min 0.4% 9,550
92 flydubai (FZ) United Arab Emirates United Arab Emirates 9,774 48.3 min 0.5% 9,445
93 LAN Peru (LP) Peru Peru 9,747 16.6 min 0.0% 9,422
94 Capital Airlines (JD) China China 9,677 23.4 min 1.9% 9,370
95 S7 Airlines (S7) Russia Russia 9,660 27.1 min 0.2% 9,346
96 Grant Aviation (GV) United States United States 9,658 4.2 min 0.0% 9,323
97 Volotea (V7) Spain Spain 9,523 26.5 min 0.0% 9,193
98 Batik Air (ID) Indonesia Indonesia 9,413 19.3 min 5.5% 9,113
99 Horizon Air (QX) United States United States 9,393 29.7 min 0.2% 9,114
100 Loong Airlines (GJ) China China 9,343 23.1 min 2.2% 9,043

Cite this

The busiest airline in August 2026 was Southwest Airlines (WN), with 119,546 flights. Source: Airportia, "Busiest airlines, August 2026" (1–31 August 2026), https://www.airportia.com/statistics/busiest-airlines/2026-08/, retrieved 3 November 2026.

Download the data (CSV)

Free to use, including commercially, under CC BY 4.0 : credit Airportia and link to this page. How to use our data. Press and data questions: contact@airportia.com.

How we calculate this

Which flights count
Every flight in Airportia's schedule data (from the Aviation Edge feed) that was scheduled to depart in the period, counted once: code-share listings of the same flight are left out. Days are UTC calendar days.
Departure delay
The actual departure time (or the latest reported estimate when no actual time came in) minus the scheduled departure time. A flight that left early or on time counts as 0 minutes. A flight with no reported departure time, cancelled flights included, also counts as 0, so where the feed is patchy the average is lower than the real one.
Average departure delay
The mean of those delays over all counted flights in the period. It is not the share of flights more than 15 minutes late (the usual on-time measure), and it is about departures, not arrivals.
Why there is no "most punctual" ranking
Because flights without a reported departure time count as 0 minutes, a low average can mean missing data rather than punctuality, and the stored figures do not say how many flights had a reported time. So we only rank the most delayed, and the delay rankings leave out every airport, airline or country whose average delay is exactly 0, which almost always means that no times were reported.
Cancellations
Flights with the status Cancelled, as a share of the counted flights in the period.
Airlines
Flights operated by the airline, wherever they depart from. Cargo airlines are not included. They have their own ranking, Busiest cargo airlines.
Period
A month combines three 10-day periods: days 1–10, 11–20 and the last ten days of the month, weighted by departures. In a 31-day month day 21 is not included; in February the second and third periods overlap by a day or two.
Minimum sample
Every airline with at least one flight in the period and reported departure times is included.

Coverage follows the schedule feed: some regional airports and airlines are missing or report few actual times. These are Airportia's own figures, not official statistics from airports, airlines or regulators.