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The basics:

• Newark airport ranks No. 1 in the Northeast for on-time performance
• FAA upgrades, staffing increases, schedule adjustments boost reliability
• United Airlines reports its best-ever on-time performance at Newark
• Airport continues expanding international routes, passenger amenities

Newark Liberty International Airport leads all major Northeast airports in on-time performance so far in 2026. The recognition marks a sharp reversal for a hub that struggled with widespread delays and cancellations just a year ago.

The improvement comes after a turbulent spring 2025, when Federal Aviation Administration radar and radio outages, air traffic control staffing shortages and runway construction combined to create significant disruptions at the airport. Federal officials later moved to stabilize operations through staffing increases, technology upgrades and schedule adjustments intended to better align flight volume with airport capacity.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy highlighted Newark’s performance in a June 2 social media post, crediting federal upgrades led by the U.S. Department of Transportation. He wrote that “@USDOT delivered the ultimate upgrade, making EWR #1 for on-time flights in the Northeast this year by…”

Duffy then pointed to improvements including air traffic control staffing increases, early completion of runway construction, more efficient flight scheduling, accelerated ATC equipment upgrades and a new fiber communications network at Philadelphia TRACON.

Newark’s largest carrier, United Airlines, said the airport’s improved performance reflects both federal actions and operational changes by the airline. CEO Scott Kirby visited Newark June 2 to mark the milestone, thank employees and highlight United’s role in the recovery.

United praise

“Newark has operated better than it ever has and that’s a direct result of the actions taken by Secretary Duffy and the FAA as well as the professionalism, dedication and care of our nearly 15,000 local employees,” said Kirby. “Newark is the ‘crown jewel’ of our international network serving as a global gateway to dozens of international destinations – I’m proud of the work we’re doing here, and all across the country, to deliver a great experience and get our customers where they want to go safely and on time.”

United said it flew nearly 5.8 million passengers through Newark in April and May and recorded its best-ever on-time performance at the airport during that period. Across its network, the airline carried a record 3 million passengers over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, with nearly 70% arriving on time.

The carrier expects more than 53 million travelers this summer and continues to invest in operations and customer experience as demand peaks.

A global gateway

At Newark, United continues to emphasize the airport’s role as a global gateway, connecting travelers to nearly 320 destinations across North, South and Central America and the Caribbean, including 120 one-stop connections. The airline also offers nonstop service to 42 destinations across Europe, Africa, the Middle East and India — more transatlantic destinations than any other carrier in the New York region.

Recent and upcoming route expansions include service to Split, Croatia; Bari, Italy; Glasgow, Scotland; and Santiago de Compostela, Spain.

Beginning Sept. 4, United will become the only U.S. carrier offering nonstop service between Newark and Seoul, South Korea. In October, it will add exclusive New York-area service to St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The airline also pointed to continued investment in passenger experience, including expanded Starlink Wi-Fi rollout across regional aircraft, Bluetooth-enabled seatback screens on more than 800 planes, larger overhead bins, expanded onboard dining options and enhanced mobile app features such as live boarding updates, real-time bag tracking and gate navigation tools.

United said Starlink installation is underway across its mainline fleet and is expected to be completed by the end of 2027.