State · NE · 2020–2025 BTS data
Nebraska
According to PlainFlights' state traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), Nebraska ranks #36 of 53 US states by total flight operations (most flights = #1).
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 82.5%
- On-time
- +3.5 pts
- vs US avg
- 76 min
- Delay when late
- 1.11%
- Cancelled
- #36 of 53
- Corpus placement
State reliability verdict
According to U.S. DOT BTS data, Nebraska is a quiet-book state: 309,700 operations at 6 airports run 82.5% on-time, 3.5 pts above the 79% U.S. average. Among tracked airports, EAR leads locally at 85.8% on-time.
- 82.5%
- statewide on-time
- +3.5 pts
- vs US average
- 6
- airports tracked
- 1.11%
- cancellation rate
On-time means arrived less than 15 minutes after schedule. Figures are historical BTS averages, not a guarantee for any single flight.
Nebraska vs all states by total flight operations
Where this state's BTS On-Time Performance flight count sits among every state with tracked operations (traffic density, not on-time quality)
309,700 Top 68% more flights than 32% of 53 states
States, banded by total BTS-tracked flights
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source BTS On-Time Performance · 2026-06-13
Airports in Nebraska
Nebraska airports ranked by on-time rate
6 BTS-tracked airports, led by EAR at 85.8%
On-time rate by airport
- EAR
Kearney, NE: 85.8% on-time, 5,971 flights
86 %
- BFF
Scottsbluff, NE: 85.3% on-time, 7,768 flights
85 %
- LBF
North Platte, NE: 85% on-time, 7,873 flights
85 %
- OMA
Omaha, NE: 82.5% on-time, 260,747 flights
83 %
- GRI
Grand Island, NE: 82.4% on-time, 11,218 flights
82 %
- LNK
Lincoln, NE: 80.3% on-time, 16,123 flights
80 %
What this shows Airports here range from 80.3% to 85.8% on-time.
| Code | Airport | City | Flights | On-Time | Avg Delay (when late) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OMA | Omaha, NE | Omaha | 260,747 | 82.5% | 71.8 min |
| LNK | Lincoln, NE | Lincoln | 16,123 | 80.3% | 95.9 min |
| GRI | Grand Island, NE | Grand Island | 11,218 | 82.4% | 92.1 min |
| LBF | North Platte, NE | North Platte | 7,873 | 85% | 100.9 min |
| BFF | Scottsbluff, NE | Scottsbluff | 7,768 | 85.3% | 109.6 min |
| EAR | Kearney, NE | Kearney | 5,971 | 85.8% | 113.5 min |
Nebraska traffic-scale reading
The standout signal in Nebraska is traffic scale: 309,700 BTS flights place it #36 of 53 by book size. That quiet-book footprint sits beside a 82.5% on-time rate (3.5 pts above the 79% U.S. average), 54,052 delayed departures, and a 1.11% cancellation rate.
As a quieter state, Omaha, NE (OMA) still leads volume with 260,747 flights at 82.5% on-time; a single late inbound can swing the monthly book more than at a mega-hub state.
On the recent 24-month tape, delay pressure is lightest in Oct 2024 and heaviest in May 2024. On reliability, Kearney, NE (EAR) posts the highest on-time rate at 85.8% across 5,971 flights. On-time performance explained.
States With a Similar On-Time Rate
Other U.S. states whose statewide on-time rate is closest to Nebraska's 82.5%.
Using Nebraska's data
Nebraska's statewide on-time book is mid-pack; airport choice and month move more than the headline rate.
- Kearney, NE (EAR) is the most reliable airport in Nebraska among those with meaningful traffic. EAR profile
- Omaha, NE handles the most traffic in the state; its performance weighs heavily on the state average. OMA profile
- See how Nebraska compares with every other state that has BTS-tracked airports. All states
State averages are flight-weighted across all reporting airports in the state; a single busy airport can dominate the figure.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Airline on-time performance and operational reliability · 2025