Best Time to Fly DFW to DSM: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Dallas/Fort Worth International → Des Moines International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 66.4% of Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Des Moines (DSM) flights arrived on time (1,436 scheduled flights). That is 11.2 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Envoy Air was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 86.5%, while American Airlines trailed at 57.3%.
April has been the best month (75% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (63%).
3.5% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DFW to DSM 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 | 86.5% | 51 min | 1.9% | 310 |
| PSA Airlines | 81.7% | 74 min | 2.1% | 145 |
| American Airlines | 57.3% | 96 min | 4.3% | 971 |
| SkyWest Airlines | Limited data | 10 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DFW to DSM
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 2,698 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7am–8am | 90.1% | 1.2% | 327 |
| 8am–9am | 75.4% | 2.8% | 180 |
| 9am–10am | 93.0% | 2.3% | 44 |
| 10am–11am | 78.9% | 4.4% | 183 |
| 11am–12pm | Limited data | 2 | |
| 12pm–1pm | 80.2% | 2.2% | 139 |
| 1pm–2pm | 61.1% | 3.4% | 327 |
| 2pm–3pm | 56.7% | 2.7% | 183 |
| 3pm–4pm | 75.6% | 4.4% | 274 |
| 4pm–5pm | 60.0% | 2.9% | 280 |
| 5pm–6pm | Limited data | 15 | |
| 6pm–7pm | Limited data | 1 | |
| 8pm–9pm | 64.2% | 2.9% | 207 |
| 9pm–10pm | 56.3% | 3.5% | 346 |
| 10pm–11pm | 46.9% | 5.8% | 190 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DFW to DSM
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) | 70.2% | -0.4 pts | 6.0% | 50 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 62.2% | -8.4 pts | 3.0% | 101 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 57.9% | -12.7 pts | 2.7% | 482 |
| All other days | 70.6% | — | 3.3% | 2,065 |
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).