Best Time to Fly DCA to DEN: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Ronald Reagan Washington National → Denver International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 79.1% of Washington (DCA) to Denver (DEN) flights arrived on time (1,346 scheduled flights). That is 1.5 points above the national average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 79.7%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 78.9%.
October has been the best month (83% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (74%).
0.8% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DCA to DEN 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 | 79.7% | 84 min | 0.6% | 364 |
| Frontier Airlines | 78.9% | 76 min | 0.9% | 982 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DCA to DEN
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 2,782 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7am–8am | 86.3% | 1.0% | 575 |
| 8am–9am | 83.8% | 0.7% | 150 |
| 12pm–1pm | 83.9% | 0.0% | 87 |
| 1pm–2pm | 85.6% | 0.7% | 449 |
| 2pm–3pm | 84.2% | 1.5% | 135 |
| 4pm–5pm | 76.0% | 0.4% | 727 |
| 6pm–7pm | 63.4% | 1.4% | 659 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DCA to DEN
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) | 80.0% | +1.5 pts | 0.0% | 55 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 84.5% | +6.0 pts | 0.0% | 116 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 72.3% | -6.2 pts | 0.9% | 454 |
| All other days | 78.5% | — | 0.9% | 2,157 |
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).