Best Time to Fly DCA to DAL: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Ronald Reagan Washington National → Dallas Love Field
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 72.5% of Washington (DCA) to Dallas (DAL) flights arrived on time (1,733 scheduled flights). That is 5.2 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
September has been the best month (83% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (67%).
1.8% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DCA to DAL 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 | 72.5% | 64 min | 1.8% | 1,733 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DCA to DAL
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,460 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 91.1% | 2.1% | 728 |
| 7am–8am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 9am–10am | 79.3% | 0.0% | 82 |
| 10am–11am | 80.1% | 2.8% | 391 |
| 11am–12pm | 85.1% | 1.4% | 218 |
| 12pm–1pm | 78.3% | 2.4% | 85 |
| 1pm–2pm | 77.9% | 0.0% | 192 |
| 2pm–3pm | 74.1% | 1.9% | 431 |
| 3pm–4pm | 69.0% | 2.3% | 43 |
| 4pm–5pm | 57.6% | 1.5% | 135 |
| 5pm–6pm | 57.2% | 1.7% | 405 |
| 6pm–7pm | 61.5% | 3.9% | 154 |
| 7pm–8pm | 49.4% | 6.0% | 84 |
| 8pm–9pm | 64.2% | 1.9% | 419 |
| 9pm–10pm | 68.9% | 2.2% | 92 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DCA to DAL
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) | 82.3% | +6.0 pts | 0.0% | 62 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 72.5% | -3.7 pts | 0.0% | 145 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 65.0% | -11.2 pts | 3.0% | 595 |
| All other days | 76.2% | — | 2.0% | 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).