Best Time to Fly MSY to IAH: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International → George Bush Intercontinental/Houston
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,929 flights were scheduled from New Orleans (MSY) to Houston (IAH) in the last 12 months, and 82.8% of those that flew arrived on time, 5.2 points above the US average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 82.9%, while Spirit Airlines trailed at 81.8%.
September has been the best month (90% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (81%).
0.4% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
MSY to IAH 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 | 82.9% | 73 min | 0.4% | 2,777 |
| Spirit Airlines | 81.8% | 66 min | 0.0% | 121 |
| Frontier Airlines | Limited data | 27 | ||
| SkyWest Airlines | Limited data | 4 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly MSY to IAH
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 6,004 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 94.5% | 1.6% | 688 |
| 6am–7am | Limited data | 22 | |
| 7am–8am | 84.3% | 1.2% | 732 |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 29 | |
| 9am–10am | 89.7% | 0.9% | 696 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 12 | |
| 11am–12pm | 87.8% | 1.3% | 374 |
| 12pm–1pm | 81.5% | 0.9% | 340 |
| 1pm–2pm | 77.1% | 0.0% | 35 |
| 2pm–3pm | 84.5% | 1.0% | 690 |
| 3pm–4pm | 80.3% | 1.3% | 709 |
| 4pm–5pm | 76.2% | 0.9% | 110 |
| 5pm–6pm | 70.2% | 1.3% | 747 |
| 6pm–7pm | 66.2% | 3.9% | 77 |
| 7pm–8pm | 84.1% | 1.6% | 564 |
| 8pm–9pm | 83.0% | 0.0% | 53 |
| 9pm–10pm | 81.1% | 0.0% | 53 |
| 10pm–11pm | 84.7% | 1.4% | 73 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on MSY to IAH
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) | 86.1% | +1.6 pts | 0.0% | 115 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 86.9% | +2.4 pts | 2.5% | 203 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 77.9% | -6.6 pts | 1.1% | 921 |
| All other days | 84.5% | — | 1.3% | 4,765 |
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).