A EUROCONTROL survey published on September 16, 2026, shows Palma Airport in Mallorca ranked third worst in Europe for flight departure punctuality during the summer period from June 1 to August 31, 2026.
Palma Among Worst for Departure Punctuality
Palma Airport recorded a 53% on-time departure rate, placing it 27th out of 29 European airports surveyed. This performance was matched only by Zurich Airport, also at 53%, with Lisbon Airport performing slightly worse at 52%, ranking as the lowest in the comparison.
Comparison with Other Spanish Airports
In the same ranking, Madrid-Barajas Airport secured the 19th position with a 63% on-time departure rate, while Malaga Airport followed closely in 20th place
at 62%. Palma’s punctuality was 10 percentage points lower than Madrid-Barajas and 9 points below Malaga during the summer months.
Top Performing European Airports
Stockholm Arlanda Airport led all surveyed airports with an 82% departure punctuality rate. Oslo and Istanbul airports tied at 81%, followed by Copenhagen Airport and Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport, each achieving 80% on-time departures.
Additional Airport Performance Data
Other major airports recorded lower punctuality rates, including Athens at 54%, Manchester at 55%, London Heathrow at 76%, Amsterdam at 70%, Frankfurt at 67%, Paris Orly at 65%, Milan Malpensa at 59%, and Rome Fiumicino also at 59%.
Spain’s Role in Air Traffic Management Delays
Spain was responsible for 17% of all en-route
air traffic management delays across Europe year-to-date 2026. Average en-route delays in Spain increased by 14% compared to the same period in 2025, contributing to the overall delay issues experienced during summer 2026.
European Flight Volume Increase
During summer 2026, Europe averaged 35,959 daily flights, a 2.4% increase in daily flights compared to the summer of 2025. This rise in air traffic volume added pressure to airport operations and air traffic management systems.
Understanding the Punctuality Ranking
The EUROCONTROL departure punctuality ranking measures the proportion of flights departing within their punctuality thresholds, rather than simply counting delayed flights. Palma Airport’s low ranking reflects the operational challenges faced during
peak tourism season when high passenger demand coincides with heavy traffic on the European aviation network.
Travel Implications
Passengers traveling through Palma, Madrid-Barajas, and Malaga airports during the summer of 2026 should anticipate the possibility of flight delays. These airports displayed the lowest departure punctuality rates among Spanish airports, signaling potential scheduling disruptions.
Source of Data
The findings are derived from EUROCONTROL’s Special Summer 2026 Flash Briefing, which analyzes departure punctuality across major European airports between June 1 and August 31, 2026.
