Best Time to Fly HOU to ATL: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
William P Hobby → Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 79.7% of Houston (HOU) to Atlanta (ATL) flights arrived on time (2,882 scheduled flights). That is 2.1 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, Delta Air Lines led with 84.9% on time and Southwest Airlines was last with 75.0%.
Over 24 months, Wednesday was the most reliable day (84% on time) and June the worst month (71%).
The cancellation rate was 1.2% (US average 1.8%).
HOU to ATL 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 84.9% | 97 min | 1.9% | 1,397 |
| Southwest Airlines | 75.0% | 51 min | 0.6% | 1,485 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly HOU to ATL
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 5,956 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 93.5% | 2.7% | 112 |
| 6am–7am | 91.5% | 0.8% | 820 |
| 7am–8am | 94.1% | 2.9% | 243 |
| 8am–9am | 85.2% | 1.1% | 89 |
| 9am–10am | 85.3% | 0.0% | 103 |
| 10am–11am | 86.4% | 1.9% | 944 |
| 11am–12pm | 86.6% | 2.2% | 275 |
| 12pm–1pm | 77.0% | 1.0% | 296 |
| 1pm–2pm | 85.0% | 0.0% | 447 |
| 2pm–3pm | 75.7% | 1.4% | 418 |
| 3pm–4pm | 74.0% | 0.4% | 236 |
| 4pm–5pm | 77.7% | 0.0% | 311 |
| 5pm–6pm | 70.3% | 0.9% | 548 |
| 6pm–7pm | 76.3% | 2.1% | 621 |
| 7pm–8pm | 70.8% | 0.0% | 223 |
| 8pm–9pm | 55.8% | 0.6% | 182 |
| 9pm–10pm | 69.3% | 0.0% | 62 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 26 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on HOU to ATL
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) | 84.5% | +2.0 pts | 0.8% | 124 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 74.0% | -8.5 pts | 0.4% | 251 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 74.9% | -7.6 pts | 1.1% | 1,050 |
| All other days | 82.5% | — | 1.3% | 4,531 |
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).