Delta topped longtime airline leader Hawaiian for on-time performance in December, as cancellations fell and on-time ratings for most airlines improved. About 88.0 percent of Delta’s flights were on time, compared with 87.9 percent for Hawaiian. Airlines were helped by better weather on the mainland, but stormy weather in Hawaii and Cali­for­nia in December caused flight delays and cancellations for Hawaiian.

There were no superlong tarmac delays for airlines in December, making 2014 the best year on record for fewest such incidents. The U.S. Department of Transportation said Tuesday there were 30 domestic flights with ground delays topping three hours in 2014. That compares with 2009, when there were 868 domestic flights stuck on the ground for more than three hours.