Best Time to Fly DFW to IAD: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Dallas/Fort Worth International → Washington Dulles International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 78.0% of Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Washington (IAD) flights arrived on time (1,952 scheduled flights). That is in line with the national average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 83.9%, while American Airlines trailed at 70.5%.
September has been the best month (87% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (72%).
2.0% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DFW to IAD 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 | 83.9% | 83 min | 1.0% | 924 |
| Frontier Airlines | 83.5% | 75 min | 3.0% | 169 |
| American Airlines | 70.5% | 74 min | 2.9% | 850 |
| Republic Airways | Limited data | 9 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DFW to IAD
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,775 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 94.4% | 2.7% | 37 |
| 6am–7am | 88.1% | 3.3% | 61 |
| 7am–8am | 89.7% | 1.3% | 832 |
| 8am–9am | 87.7% | 1.5% | 66 |
| 9am–10am | Limited data | 2 | |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 17 | |
| 11am–12pm | 87.0% | 1.8% | 55 |
| 12pm–1pm | 78.4% | 1.1% | 1,065 |
| 1pm–2pm | 57.1% | 2.0% | 151 |
| 2pm–3pm | 66.3% | 2.2% | 91 |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 22 | |
| 4pm–5pm | Limited data | 5 | |
| 5pm–6pm | 77.6% | 1.7% | 714 |
| 6pm–7pm | 57.5% | 3.8% | 392 |
| 7pm–8pm | 69.6% | 3.5% | 259 |
| 8pm–9pm | Limited data | 6 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DFW to IAD
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) | 78.3% | -0.9 pts | 0.0% | 69 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 76.4% | -2.8 pts | 0.0% | 110 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 70.4% | -8.8 pts | 2.2% | 726 |
| All other days | 79.2% | — | 1.9% | 2,870 |
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).