Best Time to Fly TPA to RDU: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Tampa International → Raleigh-Durham International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 81.8% of Tampa (TPA) to Raleigh/Durham (RDU) flights arrived on time (1,290 scheduled flights). That is 4.2 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Delta Air Lines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 86.3%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 76.8%.
September has been the best month (92% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (76%).
1.9% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
TPA to RDU 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 86.3% | 83 min | 2.3% | 650 |
| Frontier Airlines | 78.1% | 80 min | 2.3% | 258 |
| Southwest Airlines | 76.8% | 55 min | 0.8% | 382 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly TPA to RDU
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 2,596 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 93.5% | 0.0% | 31 |
| 6am–7am | Limited data | 26 | |
| 7am–8am | 92.0% | 1.3% | 76 |
| 8am–9am | 86.9% | 1.0% | 100 |
| 9am–10am | 90.4% | 2.0% | 604 |
| 10am–11am | 83.5% | 0.3% | 292 |
| 11am–12pm | 75.9% | 1.2% | 84 |
| 12pm–1pm | 76.7% | 1.4% | 74 |
| 1pm–2pm | 75.8% | 0.0% | 62 |
| 2pm–3pm | 93.9% | 0.0% | 49 |
| 3pm–4pm | 74.8% | 2.1% | 325 |
| 4pm–5pm | 84.8% | 2.6% | 155 |
| 5pm–6pm | 52.5% | 7.0% | 43 |
| 6pm–7pm | 66.7% | 0.0% | 60 |
| 7pm–8pm | 70.7% | 3.3% | 60 |
| 8pm–9pm | 75.8% | 2.0% | 354 |
| 9pm–10pm | 82.1% | 2.0% | 201 |
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 RDU
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) | 83.6% | +0.1 pts | 0.0% | 61 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 73.3% | -10.2 pts | 0.8% | 117 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 77.0% | -6.5 pts | 1.5% | 461 |
| All other days | 83.5% | — | 1.8% | 1,957 |
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).