London Heathrow – New York JFK: how often flights are 3+ hours late or cancelled
Of 15,281 scheduled flights between London Heathrow and New York JFK in 2025, 2.6% (95% range 2.3%–2.8%) were cancelled (278) or at least 3 hours late (about 114) — roughly 1 in 39. That is worse than 87% of 834 busy UK routes (median 1.1%). The route is 5,540 km, so when the airline is at fault UK261 compensation is £520 per passenger. This is an upper estimate: weather and air traffic control problems give no right to compensation. Source: UK CAA.
The route in 2025
| Scheduled flights (both directions) | 15,281 |
|---|---|
| Cancelled | 278 |
| Operated but 3 hours or more late | about 114 |
| On time or within 15 minutes | 79% of operated flights |
| Average delay of operated flights | 12 minutes |
| Distance | 5,540 km (great circle, LHR–JFK) |
By direction
| Direction | Scheduled flights | 3h+ late or cancelled | 95% range |
|---|---|---|---|
| From London Heathrow | 7,661 | 2.8% | 2.5%–3.2% |
| To London Heathrow | 7,620 | 2.3% | 2.0%–2.7% |
By airline
| Airline | Scheduled flights | 3h+ late or cancelled | 95% range | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Airways | 5,717 | 1.7% | 1.4%–2.0% | 82 |
| Virgin Atlantic | 3,918 | 2.6% | 2.2%–3.2% | 79 |
| American Airlines | 2,681 | 4.9% | 4.1%–5.7% | 81 |
| Delta | 1,465 | 3.0% | 2.2%–4.0% | 25 |
| JetBlue | 1,459 | 1.4% | 0.9%–2.2% | 11 |
The 95% ranges of at least two airlines do not overlap, so the difference between them is unlikely to be chance. Airlines with at least 100 scheduled flights on the route; operating companies are shown as the CAA lists them (for example easyJet UK and easyJet Europe), because that decides whether UK261 or EU261 applies.
What you may be owed
| Distance | Delay at arrival | UK261 compensation |
|---|---|---|
| 5,540 km | 3 hours or more, or a cancellation less than 14 days ahead | £520 per passenger |
Weather is a frequent reason why no compensation is due: at London Heathrow EUROCONTROL restricted arrivals for weather on 32% of days in 2018–2026.
Caveats
- This is an upper estimate of flights where compensation may be due. Weather, air traffic control, strikes by third parties and security problems are “extraordinary circumstances” and give no right to compensation; cancellations announced 14 days or more ahead do not either.
- The CAA measures delay at the UK airport (departure or arrival). The legal test is the delay on arrival at the final destination.
- Flights in both directions are combined. For flights from an EU airport, EU261 applies when the airline is an EU airline (€250 / €400 / €600), UK261 when it is a UK airline.
CAA destination name: New York (Jf Kennedy).