Best Time to Fly IAD to DFW: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Washington Dulles International → Dallas/Fort Worth International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 77.5% of Washington (IAD) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) flights arrived on time (1,951 scheduled flights). That is in line with the national average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 80.1%, while American Airlines trailed at 74.8%.
October has been the best month (89% on time) and Saturday the weakest day of the week (73%).
1.9% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
IAD to DFW 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 | 80.1% | 82 min | 0.7% | 923 |
| Frontier Airlines | 76.5% | 178 min | 3.5% | 169 |
| American Airlines | 74.8% | 105 min | 3.1% | 850 |
| Republic Airways | Limited data | 9 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly IAD to DFW
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,770 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 6am–7am | 85.0% | 3.1% | 684 |
| 7am–8am | 79.5% | 0.0% | 44 |
| 8am–9am | 87.3% | 0.4% | 533 |
| 10am–11am | 87.8% | 5.8% | 52 |
| 11am–12pm | 84.5% | 1.2% | 251 |
| 12pm–1pm | 85.1% | 0.6% | 727 |
| 1pm–2pm | Limited data | 20 | |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 2 | |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 12 | |
| 4pm–5pm | Limited data | 18 | |
| 5pm–6pm | 68.5% | 1.8% | 1,126 |
| 6pm–7pm | 52.1% | 2.3% | 172 |
| 7pm–8pm | 56.4% | 3.8% | 105 |
| 8pm–9pm | Limited data | 10 | |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 9 | |
| 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 IAD to DFW
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) | 80.9% | +0.9 pts | 0.0% | 69 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 76.2% | -3.8 pts | 0.0% | 110 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 69.7% | -10.2 pts | 2.1% | 727 |
| All other days | 79.9% | — | 1.7% | 2,864 |
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).