Best Time to Fly DFW to DCA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Dallas/Fort Worth International → Ronald Reagan Washington National
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 73.1% of Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Washington (DCA) flights arrived on time (3,299 scheduled flights). That is 4.5 points below the national average of 77.6%.
American Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
January has been the best month (81% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (72%).
3.0% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DFW to DCA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 73.1% | 62 min | 3.0% | 3,299 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DFW to DCA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 6,839 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 88.2% | 2.1% | 717 |
| 6am–7am | 85.0% | 0.0% | 40 |
| 7am–8am | 86.8% | 1.7% | 690 |
| 8am–9am | 86.6% | 3.4% | 680 |
| 9am–10am | 78.0% | 3.5% | 317 |
| 10am–11am | 82.1% | 0.7% | 413 |
| 11am–12pm | 79.4% | 4.5% | 133 |
| 12pm–1pm | 71.4% | 2.3% | 699 |
| 1pm–2pm | 69.0% | 4.5% | 44 |
| 2pm–3pm | 64.3% | 2.4% | 335 |
| 3pm–4pm | 65.3% | 3.6% | 550 |
| 4pm–5pm | 63.5% | 2.6% | 388 |
| 5pm–6pm | 65.4% | 4.8% | 542 |
| 6pm–7pm | 59.7% | 4.9% | 288 |
| 7pm–8pm | 65.2% | 3.5% | 488 |
| 8pm–9pm | 68.4% | 5.0% | 424 |
| 9pm–10pm | 68.2% | 5.5% | 91 |
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 DCA
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) | 81.4% | +5.8 pts | 0.0% | 119 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 75.0% | -0.5 pts | 1.8% | 274 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 68.9% | -6.7 pts | 4.9% | 1,104 |
| All other days | 75.5% | — | 2.8% | 5,342 |
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).