Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA) Delays and On-Time Departures
Washington, DC · ranked 305th of 333 airports for on-time departures
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, Washington (DCA) had 142,173 scheduled departures and 73.5% of them left on time (US average 77.4%).
That ranks 305th of 333 US airports tracked on this site, with 3.6% of departures cancelled.
Among airlines at Washington (DCA), Frontier Airlines left on time most often (84.6%).
Over 24 months, Saturday was the most reliable day (80% on time) and July the worst month (65%).
Best time of day to fly out of Washington (DCA)
On-time departure % by scheduled departure hour (local time), last 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 91.4% | 3.0% | 2,164 |
| 6am–7am | 92.2% | 2.8% | 21,201 |
| 7am–8am | 89.8% | 2.7% | 15,161 |
| 8am–9am | 86.6% | 2.6% | 26,980 |
| 9am–10am | 80.9% | 2.5% | 11,038 |
| 10am–11am | 82.8% | 2.4% | 20,933 |
| 11am–12pm | 80.4% | 1.8% | 17,347 |
| 12pm–1pm | 77.8% | 2.1% | 15,041 |
| 1pm–2pm | 74.4% | 2.7% | 17,880 |
| 2pm–3pm | 71.9% | 3.0% | 17,648 |
| 3pm–4pm | 69.0% | 3.0% | 18,499 |
| 4pm–5pm | 65.0% | 3.1% | 13,358 |
| 5pm–6pm | 64.2% | 4.4% | 23,950 |
| 6pm–7pm | 61.6% | 4.0% | 12,320 |
| 7pm–8pm | 65.2% | 5.8% | 18,520 |
| 8pm–9pm | 65.6% | 6.2% | 14,096 |
| 9pm–10pm | 66.1% | 6.6% | 3,450 |
| 10pm–11pm | 62.5% | 9.6% | 14,323 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 29 | |
Airlines at DCA ranked by on-time departures
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 departures are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On-time departures | On-time arrivals | Cancelled | Departures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlines | 84.6% | 78.9% | 0.9% | 982 |
| United Airlines | 83.4% | 78.5% | 1.6% | 6,887 |
| Envoy Air | 79.6% | 77.6% | 3.0% | 4,800 |
| Delta Air Lines | 78.1% | 78.7% | 2.5% | 9,539 |
| Republic Airways | 78.1% | 75.8% | 4.1% | 27,178 |
| American Airlines | 75.8% | 74.9% | 2.5% | 27,795 |
| Alaska Airlines | 73.8% | 72.6% | 1.1% | 2,182 |
| JetBlue | 70.9% | 68.8% | 3.4% | 6,699 |
| PSA Airlines | 67.5% | 66.9% | 5.5% | 39,989 |
| Southwest Airlines | 67.4% | 73.7% | 1.9% | 16,026 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 64.0% | 62.9% | 7.3% | 96 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best day to fly out of DCA
On-time departures by day, 24 months.
Best month to fly out of DCA
On-time departures by month, 24 months.
Holiday travel at Washington (DCA)
On-time departures during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On-time departures | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 75.5% | -1.5 pts | 0.8% | 5,072 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 74.2% | -2.8 pts | 0.8% | 9,468 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 67.7% | -9.2 pts | 6.8% | 48,777 |
| All other days | 76.9% | — | 3.1% | 220,621 |
Monthly on-time departure trend at DCA
On-time departure % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
Routes from Washington (DCA)
Every route from DCA with its own page, by number of flights (last 12 months, on-time arrivals).