Best Time to Fly DSM to DEN: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Des Moines International → Denver International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 83.4% of Des Moines (DSM) to Denver (DEN) flights arrived on time (2,330 scheduled flights). That is 5.8 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Among 4 airlines, SkyWest Airlines led with 90.3% on time and United Airlines was last with 75.4%.
Over 24 months, Sunday was the most reliable day (85% on time) and June the worst month (77%).
The cancellation rate was 0.6% (US average 1.8%).
DSM 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlines | 90.3% | 102 min | 0.8% | 928 |
| Southwest Airlines | 82.5% | 74 min | 0.5% | 559 |
| Frontier Airlines | 80.5% | 81 min | 0.0% | 159 |
| United Airlines | 75.4% | 78 min | 0.6% | 684 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DSM to DEN
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,535 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 89.4% | 1.4% | 441 |
| 6am–7am | 91.5% | 1.0% | 618 |
| 7am–8am | 87.6% | 0.0% | 185 |
| 8am–9am | 83.9% | 0.8% | 251 |
| 9am–10am | 80.8% | 0.9% | 682 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 9 | |
| 11am–12pm | 93.5% | 0.0% | 245 |
| 12pm–1pm | Limited data | 2 | |
| 1pm–2pm | 88.7% | 0.6% | 828 |
| 2pm–3pm | 88.1% | 0.5% | 186 |
| 3pm–4pm | 67.4% | 0.0% | 46 |
| 4pm–5pm | Limited data | 23 | |
| 5pm–6pm | 69.9% | 0.6% | 732 |
| 6pm–7pm | 73.7% | 0.0% | 99 |
| 7pm–8pm | 54.9% | 0.0% | 113 |
| 8pm–9pm | 75.7% | 1.3% | 75 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DSM 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) | 72.9% | -12.0 pts | 5.4% | 74 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 85.2% | +0.4 pts | 1.2% | 164 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 77.0% | -7.8 pts | 0.3% | 895 |
| All other days | 84.8% | — | 0.7% | 3,402 |
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).