Best Time to Fly RDU to BNA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Raleigh-Durham International → Nashville International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 80.7% of Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Nashville (BNA) flights arrived on time (2,214 scheduled flights). That is 3.1 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, Southwest Airlines led with 81.4% on time and Republic Airways was last with 79.8%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (87% on time) and July the worst month (76%).
The cancellation rate was 1.4% (US average 1.8%).
RDU to BNA 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 | 81.4% | 47 min | 1.0% | 1,260 |
| Republic Airways | 79.8% | 70 min | 1.8% | 954 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly RDU to BNA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,298 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 97.8% | 0.0% | 46 |
| 6am–7am | 96.8% | 1.2% | 600 |
| 7am–8am | 91.3% | 0.9% | 211 |
| 8am–9am | 90.4% | 0.6% | 157 |
| 9am–10am | 90.7% | 1.6% | 565 |
| 10am–11am | 94.1% | 0.5% | 223 |
| 11am–12pm | 86.6% | 1.1% | 189 |
| 12pm–1pm | 90.1% | 0.0% | 175 |
| 1pm–2pm | 82.3% | 0.7% | 155 |
| 2pm–3pm | 89.5% | 0.0% | 38 |
| 3pm–4pm | 80.0% | 1.8% | 498 |
| 4pm–5pm | 62.2% | 1.1% | 373 |
| 5pm–6pm | 71.3% | 2.3% | 175 |
| 6pm–7pm | 69.6% | 1.1% | 93 |
| 7pm–8pm | 82.0% | 0.8% | 263 |
| 8pm–9pm | 64.2% | 3.4% | 264 |
| 9pm–10pm | 67.5% | 0.8% | 249 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 24 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on RDU to BNA
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) | 78.0% | -6.3 pts | 0.0% | 82 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 79.2% | -5.2 pts | 0.6% | 169 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 77.3% | -7.0 pts | 1.3% | 706 |
| All other days | 84.3% | — | 1.3% | 3,341 |
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).