Best Time to Fly STL to DCA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
St Louis Lambert International → Ronald Reagan Washington National
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,416 flights were scheduled from St. Louis (STL) to Washington (DCA) in the last 12 months, and 73.5% of those that flew arrived on time, 4.2 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Among 4 airlines, Republic Airways led with 74.8% on time and Southwest Airlines was last with 73.0%.
Over 24 months, Saturday was the most reliable day (84% on time) and July the worst month (62%).
The cancellation rate was 2.6% (US average 1.8%).
STL to DCA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airways | 74.8% | 82 min | 5.0% | 221 |
| American Airlines | 74.7% | 79 min | 2.9% | 175 |
| PSA Airlines | 73.7% | 115 min | 4.7% | 595 |
| Southwest Airlines | 73.0% | 57 min | 1.4% | 1,403 |
| Envoy Air | Limited data | 22 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly STL to DCA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,676 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 83.6% | 6.2% | 65 |
| 6am–7am | 84.5% | 5.6% | 604 |
| 7am–8am | Limited data | 25 | |
| 8am–9am | 90.4% | 1.1% | 700 |
| 9am–10am | 82.2% | 2.4% | 341 |
| 10am–11am | 81.1% | 2.2% | 227 |
| 11am–12pm | Limited data | 18 | |
| 12pm–1pm | 89.3% | 1.2% | 85 |
| 1pm–2pm | 69.1% | 1.8% | 659 |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 27 | |
| 3pm–4pm | 69.5% | 2.8% | 724 |
| 4pm–5pm | 62.6% | 4.1% | 97 |
| 5pm–6pm | 55.5% | 7.2% | 193 |
| 6pm–7pm | 69.1% | 2.3% | 391 |
| 7pm–8pm | 58.0% | 1.3% | 463 |
| 8pm–9pm | 50.9% | 0.0% | 57 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on STL to DCA
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) | 69.0% | -7.5 pts | 3.3% | 91 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 80.6% | +4.1 pts | 0.6% | 166 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 65.7% | -10.8 pts | 4.3% | 804 |
| All other days | 76.5% | — | 2.4% | 3,615 |
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).