Best Time to Fly DEN to RDU: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Denver International → Raleigh-Durham International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
1,742 flights were scheduled from Denver (DEN) to Raleigh/Durham (RDU) in the last 12 months, and 76.0% of those that flew arrived on time, 1.6 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Among 3 airlines, Frontier Airlines led with 87.1% on time and Southwest Airlines was last with 65.3%.
Over 24 months, Saturday was the most reliable day (79% on time) and June the worst month (64%).
The cancellation rate was 0.8% (US average 1.8%).
DEN to RDU 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlines | 87.1% | 54 min | 1.4% | 290 |
| United Airlines | 81.8% | 64 min | 0.5% | 744 |
| Southwest Airlines | 65.3% | 51 min | 0.8% | 708 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DEN to RDU
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,582 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 90.0% | 1.1% | 91 |
| 7am–8am | 85.7% | 1.8% | 57 |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 26 | |
| 9am–10am | 84.7% | 0.3% | 744 |
| 10am–11am | 79.2% | 0.2% | 435 |
| 11am–12pm | 79.8% | 0.5% | 393 |
| 12pm–1pm | 83.1% | 0.0% | 77 |
| 1pm–2pm | 79.4% | 1.4% | 69 |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 14 | |
| 3pm–4pm | 68.4% | 1.3% | 157 |
| 4pm–5pm | 85.3% | 1.3% | 76 |
| 5pm–6pm | 69.0% | 0.7% | 875 |
| 6pm–7pm | 49.3% | 0.0% | 211 |
| 7pm–8pm | 48.3% | 0.5% | 208 |
| 8pm–9pm | 68.2% | 0.0% | 44 |
| 11pm–12am | 86.7% | 0.0% | 105 |
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 RDU
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) | 83.8% | +7.2 pts | 0.0% | 68 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 81.7% | +5.1 pts | 0.0% | 153 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 64.6% | -12.0 pts | 0.6% | 695 |
| All other days | 76.6% | — | 0.5% | 2,666 |
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).