Flight disruptions on outbound routes are more common than you think with new data revealing Australia’s most delayed international flights – and which airports are performing best.
You know the scenario. You arrive at the airport with time to spare, breeze through security and reach your gate, only to find your flight is delayed.
We get it. Flight disruptions, staffing shortages, operational issues and weather all play a role. But new data suggests some international routes are consistently less reliable than others.
Esendex Australia business messaging service analysed Flightradar24 data from the nation’s busiest airports in 2025, when nearly 64 million passengers travelled across more than 674,000 flights, to identify the most delayed international flights and the most reliable routes.
The findings highlight a clear trend: certain airports and routes are more prone to delays with Melbourne Airport topping the list for the most affected services, followed by Perth and Brisbane. Meanwhile, Sydney Airport stands out for reliability, with 95 per cent of flights operating on time or early.
Australia’s most delayed international flights
Topping the list of Australia’s most delayed international flights is Air Niugini’s Brisbane–Port Moresby service, which runs an average of 27 minutes behind schedule. Air India’s Melbourne–Delhi route follows, averaging a 25-minute delay.
Other consistently delayed routes include Perth–Tansonnhat (Vietjet) and Sydney–Christchurch (Qantas), both averaging 19 minutes late. Perth–Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia Airlines) and Brisbane–Honiara (Qantas) services each average delays of around 18 minutes.
Rounding out the list are Melbourne–Los Angeles (Qantas) and Melbourne–Colombo (SriLankan Airlines), both typically running 15 minutes behind schedule.
Australia’s most reliable international routes
On the flip side, several international flights from Australia are consistently arriving early, offering a smoother travel experience for passengers.
China Eastern’s Brisbane–Shanghai service leads the way, arriving an average of 40 minutes ahead of schedule. Qatar Airways’ Perth–Doha route follows, typically landing 33 minutes early.
Sydney–Guangzhou (China Southern) and Perth–Bangkok (Thai Airways) services both average 32 minutes early arrivals, while Melbourne–Doha (Qatar Airways) and Melbourne–Bangkok (Thai Airways) routes clock in around 31 minutes ahead.
Other reliable airlines include Melbourne–Singapore (SIN, 24 minutes early), Brisbane–Dubai (Emirates, 24 minutes early), Brisbane–Taipei (EVA Air, 22 minutes early), and Perth–Johannesburg (South African Airways) and Sydney–Los Angeles (Delta), both averaging 19-minute early arrivals.
Find out how Australia’s domestic airlines and routes fared for on-time performance in 2025 here.
KARRYON UNPACKS: For advisors, understanding Australia’s most delayed international flights can help with itinerary planning. Factoring in consistent delays on routes can help manage client expectations, reduce missed connections and improve overall travel experiences.
