How often is Emerald Airlines delayed at Belfast City (George Best)?
163 flights a year cross the 3-hour compensation line
Each one worth £220 per passenger.
In the last 12 months, Emerald Airlines operated 14,787 flights at Belfast City (George Best), and 1.1% were 3 or more hours late, the threshold where £220 per passenger becomes payable.
Punctuality is down on last year: 73.6% of flights ran on time against 83.3% in the twelve months before, and the average delay rose from 10.4 to 15.8 minutes.
| Emerald Airlines at Belfast City (George Best), last 12 months | Figure | vs year before |
|---|---|---|
| Flights at Belfast City (George Best) | 14,787 | was 15,011 |
| Ran on time (within 15 min) | 73.6% | ▼ was 83.3% |
| Average delay | 15.8 min | ▲ was 10.4 min |
| 3h+ late (compensation threshold) | 1.1% | - |
| Cancelled | 3.0% | - |
| Flights 3h+ late (a year) | 163 flights/year | - |
The CAA's figures combine arrivals and departures, so this covers traffic both ways, not departures alone.
Emerald Airlines at Belfast City (George Best), month by month
Worst month: August 2025, averaging 21.7 minutes.
Emerald Airlines' busiest routes at Belfast City (George Best)
| Destination | 3h+ % | 3h+ delay pays |
|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 1.1% | £220 |
| Manchester | 1.2% | £220 |
| Leeds Bradford | 0.7% | £220 |
| Edinburgh | 1.1% | £220 |
| Southampton | 0.7% | £220 |
| Glasgow | 2.0% | £220 |
| Cardiff Wales | 1.3% | £220 |
| East Midlands International | 1.0% | £220 |
Your rights on this route
Belfast City (George Best) is a UK airport, so every flight departing from it is covered by UK261, whichever airline you fly with. Delays of 3 or more hours pay £220 to £520 per passenger depending on how far you were flying, and the table above gives the exact figure for each of these routes. See the full breakdown on the 3-hour rule. If the flight is cancelled instead of delayed, broadly the same amounts apply under different conditions. See cancelled flight compensation.
Flying soon? We'll watch your flight
Enter your flight and email. The moment it goes 3+ hours late or gets cancelled, we email you what you're owed and how to claim it. Free, one email, no spam.
Emerald Airlines from other airports
Other airlines at Belfast City (George Best)
Source: UK Civil Aviation Authority punctuality statistics, July 2025 to June 2026. Analysis by CheckFlightCompensation; the CAA is credited as the data source as its publication conditions require. Figures cover the 25 largest UK airports.