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BTS> TranStats
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International and Domestic Tarmac Times by Airline
Type:   Year:   Start Month: To:   Tarmac Min: Max:
Tarmac Home   Back
Data begins with August 2011. Data available through January 2024 Please limit search using dropdowns to a single calendar year.
This page has tarmac times for all domestic flights and all international flights to and from the United States (U.S. airports only). For tarmac times since 1995 for domestic flights operated by large airlines, see Domestic Tarmac Times
AirlineTarmac TimesStage of Operation Tarmac Flights
TotalPrior To CancellationMultiple Gate DepartureTaxi-OutTaxi-InAt Diversion AirportDomesticInternational
United25522016916
American2350369167
Delta2024806218
British70231107
ExpressJet LLC d/b/a aha!75100170
Mesa63001260
Alaska51100341
Southwest51000450
Virgin Atlantic41010204
Scandinavian Sys.30030003
Jazz Aviation LP30020103
Lufthansa German31101003
US Airways32001030
Westjet20000202
Virgin Blue International t/a V Australia20000202
Envoy Air22000020
Aerovias Nacl De Colombia20000202
Compagnia Aerea Italiana20011002
JetBlue20001111
Air Canada10000101
Alis Cargo S.P.A.10100010
Allegiant Air10000110
Compagnie Nat'l Air France11000001
Concesionaria Vuela Compania De Aviacion SA de CV 10000101
Emirates10000101
Eva10001001
Frontier10000101
Jin Air Co Ltd.10000101
Klm Royal Dutch10010001
Korean Ltd.10010001
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA10001001
PSA11000010
Philippine11000001
Qantas Ltd.10010001
Qatar10000101
Shuttle America Corp.10000110
SkyWest10000110
Spirit10001010
Trans States10000110
WOW Air ehf10000101
Hawaiian00000000
Etihad00000000
China Southern00000000
Virgin America00000000
Air China00000000
All Nippon00000000
Condor Flugdienst00000000
All Airlines14731122615636285

Note: Tarmac times for all flights by airlines reporting on-time data are available beginning with October 2008 data. From January 1995 through September 2008, airlines reporting on-time data reported only taxi-out and taxi-in times. Airlines currently reporting on-time data.

Note: Numbers found here may differ from those previously available on the BTS website and on the Air Travel Consumer Report. Beginning with the release of May 2010 data, lengthy tarmac times are measured as more than 3 hours (181 minutes plus). Previous releases used the measurement of 3 hours or more (180 minutes plus). 2-hour and 1-hour tarmac times have been changed to conform. Data from previous months on this application have been revised but may differ from the previously-released Air Travel Consumer Report Tables 11 and 12, which were not revised. Air Travel Consumer Report Tables 11 and 12, beginning with the release of May 2010 data in the July report, will reflect the change in measurement.

Note: Click on page headers, it will redirect to detail carrier summary of that specified link

Explanation of Stage of Operation
Prior to Cancellation: Flight left the gate but was cancelled at the origin airport
Multiple Gate Departure: Flight left the gate, then returned and then left again to resume normal operation. Tarmac time is the time before the return to the gate.
Taxi-out: The time between gate departure and wheels-off
Taxi-in: The time between wheels-on and gate arrival
At Diversion Airport: The tarmac time at the alternate airport


The number of reporting carriers has varied as follows:
1995: 10
1996: 10
1997: 10
1998: 10
1999: 10
2000: 10 (11 starting in November when Aloha Airlines started reporting for the first time)
2001: 12 (11 starting in November when Aloha Airlines ceased reporting for the first time)
2002: 10
2003: 17 (18 starting in November when Hawaiian Airlines started reporting)
2004: 19
2005: 20 (19 through April after which Frontier Airlines started reporting)
2006: 20 (19 through March after which Aloha Airlines started reporting for the second time)
2007: 20
2008: 19 (20 through February after which Aloha Airlines ceased reporting)
2009: 19
2010: 18
2011: 16

2012: 15
2013: 16
2014: 14
2015: 13 (14 through June after which American and US Airways began joint reporting)
2016: 12
2017: 12
2018: 17 (18 through March after which Alaska Airlines and Virgin America began joint reporting)
2019: 17
2020: 17
2021: 17