Best Time to Fly DEN to DCA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Denver International → Ronald Reagan Washington National
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
1,347 flights were scheduled from Denver (DEN) to Washington (DCA) in the last 12 months, and 81.2% of those that flew arrived on time, 3.6 points above the US average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 88.4%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 78.5%.
December has been the best month (85% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (73%).
0.6% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DEN to DCA on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 88.4% | 59 min | 0.3% | 364 |
| Frontier Airlines | 78.5% | 72 min | 0.7% | 983 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DEN to DCA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 2,785 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 92.5% | 0.5% | 440 |
| 7am–8am | 92.4% | 0.9% | 225 |
| 9am–10am | 84.8% | 0.6% | 729 |
| 11am–12pm | 73.4% | 0.9% | 581 |
| 12pm–1pm | 82.3% | 1.1% | 87 |
| 1pm–2pm | Limited data | 3 | |
| 4pm–5pm | 62.2% | 0.8% | 720 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DEN to DCA
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 85.5% | +6.9 pts | 0.0% | 55 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 85.3% | +6.8 pts | 0.0% | 116 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 74.2% | -4.4 pts | 0.4% | 456 |
| All other days | 78.6% | — | 0.8% | 2,158 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).