Best Time to Fly TPA to DCA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Tampa International → Ronald Reagan Washington National
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 74.9% of Tampa (TPA) to Washington (DCA) flights arrived on time (2,244 scheduled flights). That is 2.7 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, Southwest Airlines led with 75.3% on time and American Airlines was last with 74.5%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (80% on time) and July the worst month (64%).
The cancellation rate was 2.3% (US average 1.8%).
TPA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 75.3% | 52 min | 1.4% | 699 |
| American Airlines | 74.5% | 85 min | 2.8% | 1,519 |
| Republic Airways | Limited data | 26 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly TPA to DCA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,304 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 6am–7am | 97.7% | 2.2% | 45 |
| 7am–8am | 91.7% | 4.7% | 342 |
| 8am–9am | 95.0% | 10.4% | 67 |
| 9am–10am | 85.8% | 0.0% | 162 |
| 10am–11am | 85.5% | 1.5% | 600 |
| 11am–12pm | 74.7% | 2.0% | 558 |
| 12pm–1pm | 75.0% | 3.7% | 108 |
| 1pm–2pm | 72.4% | 2.4% | 878 |
| 2pm–3pm | 71.2% | 1.6% | 127 |
| 3pm–4pm | 50.8% | 3.0% | 131 |
| 4pm–5pm | 71.2% | 7.0% | 86 |
| 5pm–6pm | 70.5% | 2.0% | 351 |
| 6pm–7pm | 59.4% | 5.1% | 454 |
| 7pm–8pm | 60.2% | 2.5% | 394 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on TPA 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) | 83.2% | +7.7 pts | 0.0% | 89 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 69.0% | -6.5 pts | 0.5% | 188 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 66.7% | -8.8 pts | 4.7% | 706 |
| All other days | 75.5% | — | 2.6% | 3,321 |
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).