Best Time to Fly MSY to TPA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International → Tampa International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 77.1% of New Orleans (MSY) to Tampa (TPA) flights arrived on time (1,063 scheduled flights). That is in line with the national average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 78.7%, while Spirit Airlines trailed at 70.3%.
January has been the best month (88% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (69%).
1.0% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
MSY to TPA 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 | 78.7% | 59 min | 0.6% | 855 |
| Spirit Airlines | 70.3% | 65 min | 2.9% | 205 |
| Frontier Airlines | Limited data | 3 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly MSY to TPA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 2,191 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 96.8% | 0.0% | 93 |
| 6am–7am | 96.0% | 1.5% | 334 |
| 7am–8am | 94.8% | 5.9% | 204 |
| 8am–9am | 91.5% | 0.0% | 71 |
| 9am–10am | 96.2% | 2.4% | 82 |
| 10am–11am | 83.0% | 0.0% | 48 |
| 11am–12pm | 87.5% | 0.0% | 32 |
| 12pm–1pm | 77.8% | 4.3% | 47 |
| 1pm–2pm | 84.8% | 0.0% | 59 |
| 2pm–3pm | 67.8% | 1.7% | 117 |
| 3pm–4pm | 67.3% | 2.4% | 170 |
| 4pm–5pm | 60.2% | 2.7% | 112 |
| 5pm–6pm | 71.6% | 3.1% | 223 |
| 6pm–7pm | 77.2% | 3.4% | 59 |
| 7pm–8pm | 71.8% | 0.7% | 136 |
| 8pm–9pm | 70.2% | 1.5% | 262 |
| 9pm–10pm | 56.8% | 2.2% | 135 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 7 | |
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 TPA
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) | 85.2% | +4.8 pts | 0.0% | 54 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 75.5% | -5.0 pts | 0.9% | 111 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 70.5% | -10.0 pts | 1.8% | 272 |
| All other days | 80.4% | — | 2.4% | 1,754 |
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).