Edinburgh Airport has been ranked the sixth worst in the UK for flight punctuality, according to new statistics.
Figures from the first three months of 2026 show just 77% of flights operated within 15 minutes of their scheduled time.
Travel specialists Ski Famille analysed official data, revealing the Scottish capital’s airport is lagging behind top performers like Liverpool and Newcastle.
Families flying from the hub are being warned to pack for disruption to ease the stress of delayed departures.
Manchester recorded the weakest result in the UK at 68%, while Edinburgh shared its 77% on-time rate with Leeds Bradford.
Five airports in the bottom 10 had lower on-time rates than Edinburgh, while Liverpool John Lennon and Newcastle recorded the strongest results at 82%.
For passengers arriving in Scotland’s capital, unexpected delays can disrupt Edinburgh Tram or airport bus connections, pre-booked pickups and onward plans across the Lothians.
Alex Dyer, Managing Director at Ski Famille, said: “Families flying from Edinburgh should pack for disruption as well as the journey itself. Keep essential medicines, snacks, a change of clothes and downloaded entertainment in hand luggage, plus an empty refillable bottle for after security.”
He added: “Save contact details for the airline and transfer provider before leaving home, then alert the transfer team as soon as the flight timing changes. These steps cannot prevent operational delays, but they can reduce the stress when children are tired and an onward booking is at risk.”
The regulator classifies a flight as on time when it arrives at or departs from the airport gate within 15 minutes of schedule, while the average delay across the reporting network was 13 minutes per flight.
Edinburgh’s position is a quarterly snapshot and should not be treated as a prediction for a particular route, airline or departure.
Weather, airline operations, air traffic control restrictions and disruption elsewhere in the network can all affect airport-level punctuality.
Passengers facing a long wait should ask their airline what care it will provide and keep receipts for reasonable expenses.
Depending on the journey and length of the disruption, travellers may be entitled to food, drink, communication or overnight accommodation.
These findings cover January to March 2026 and are not full-year results, with the next quarterly aviation trends update scheduled for publication this month.
