Best Time to Fly DEN to HOU: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Denver International → William P Hobby
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 74.9% of Denver (DEN) to Houston (HOU) flights arrived on time (2,361 scheduled flights). That is 2.7 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (79% on time) and June the worst month (58%).
The cancellation rate was 0.4% (US average 1.8%).
DEN to HOU 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 74.9% | 55 min | 0.4% | 2,361 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DEN to HOU
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,846 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 93.9% | 0.3% | 282 |
| 6am–7am | 93.9% | 1.0% | 521 |
| 7am–8am | 89.7% | 0.0% | 399 |
| 8am–9am | 85.8% | 0.5% | 219 |
| 9am–10am | 85.8% | 0.0% | 314 |
| 10am–11am | 80.4% | 0.4% | 278 |
| 11am–12pm | 80.1% | 0.0% | 236 |
| 12pm–1pm | 74.7% | 0.0% | 162 |
| 1pm–2pm | 74.4% | 0.3% | 315 |
| 2pm–3pm | 74.8% | 0.5% | 200 |
| 3pm–4pm | 70.1% | 0.6% | 159 |
| 4pm–5pm | 63.7% | 1.0% | 288 |
| 5pm–6pm | 62.9% | 0.3% | 327 |
| 6pm–7pm | 62.7% | 2.1% | 376 |
| 7pm–8pm | 50.7% | 0.0% | 282 |
| 8pm–9pm | 55.2% | 0.5% | 395 |
| 9pm–10pm | 64.8% | 1.1% | 89 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 4 | |
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 HOU
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) | 78.8% | +0.9 pts | 0.0% | 104 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 74.2% | -3.7 pts | 0.4% | 241 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 63.2% | -14.7 pts | 0.5% | 837 |
| All other days | 77.9% | — | 0.6% | 3,664 |
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).