Best Time to Fly DAL to DCA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Dallas Love Field → Ronald Reagan Washington National
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
1,732 flights were scheduled from Dallas (DAL) to Washington (DCA) in the last 12 months, and 66.7% of those that flew arrived on time, 10.9 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
January has been the best month (83% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (62%).
2.0% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DAL 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 | 66.7% | 61 min | 2.0% | 1,732 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DAL to DCA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,459 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 95.0% | 2.0% | 409 |
| 7am–8am | 88.4% | 0.6% | 320 |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 7 | |
| 9am–10am | 81.5% | 1.1% | 279 |
| 10am–11am | 79.2% | 0.6% | 357 |
| 11am–12pm | 73.2% | 1.4% | 72 |
| 12pm–1pm | Limited data | 27 | |
| 1pm–2pm | 61.1% | 2.2% | 136 |
| 2pm–3pm | 64.2% | 3.0% | 505 |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 10 | |
| 4pm–5pm | 57.8% | 3.5% | 395 |
| 5pm–6pm | 48.7% | 1.6% | 316 |
| 6pm–7pm | 53.7% | 0.7% | 138 |
| 7pm–8pm | 50.0% | 2.4% | 340 |
| 8pm–9pm | 60.8% | 2.7% | 148 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DAL 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) | 91.8% | +21.7 pts | 0.0% | 62 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 73.6% | +3.5 pts | 0.0% | 145 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 61.4% | -8.6 pts | 2.5% | 594 |
| All other days | 70.1% | — | 1.9% | 2,658 |
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).