Best Time to Fly DCA to RDU: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Ronald Reagan Washington National → Raleigh-Durham International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,010 flights were scheduled from Washington (DCA) to Raleigh/Durham (RDU) in the last 12 months, and 67.7% of those that flew arrived on time, 9.9 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Envoy Air was the most punctual of the 4 airlines on the route at 74.6%, while American Airlines trailed at 60.5%.
October has been the best month (81% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (70%).
4.6% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DCA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy Air | 74.6% | 76 min | 2.4% | 419 |
| Republic Airways | 69.7% | 71 min | 5.4% | 499 |
| PSA Airlines | 65.0% | 66 min | 5.4% | 885 |
| American Airlines | 60.5% | 85 min | 3.4% | 207 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DCA to RDU
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,280 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7am–8am | 87.6% | 5.0% | 119 |
| 8am–9am | 84.6% | 3.9% | 676 |
| 9am–10am | 61.8% | 0.0% | 34 |
| 10am–11am | 92.9% | 2.3% | 43 |
| 11am–12pm | 80.2% | 2.2% | 590 |
| 12pm–1pm | Limited data | 2 | |
| 1pm–2pm | 74.5% | 3.2% | 625 |
| 2pm–3pm | 74.1% | 2.9% | 175 |
| 3pm–4pm | 65.7% | 2.0% | 345 |
| 4pm–5pm | 58.1% | 5.9% | 101 |
| 5pm–6pm | 72.2% | 5.7% | 368 |
| 6pm–7pm | 63.9% | 7.0% | 355 |
| 7pm–8pm | 63.1% | 10.8% | 158 |
| 8pm–9pm | 68.8% | 5.1% | 331 |
| 9pm–10pm | 64.8% | 10.0% | 60 |
| 10pm–11pm | 57.5% | 6.0% | 298 |
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 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) | 67.4% | -7.9 pts | 0.0% | 86 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 82.3% | +7.0 pts | 0.0% | 141 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 59.2% | -16.1 pts | 10.5% | 664 |
| All other days | 75.3% | — | 3.5% | 3,389 |
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).