Best Time to Fly IAH to MSY: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
George Bush Intercontinental/Houston → Louis Armstrong New Orleans International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,930 flights were scheduled from Houston (IAH) to New Orleans (MSY) in the last 12 months, and 83.5% of those that flew arrived on time, 5.9 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Spirit Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 87.8%, while United Airlines trailed at 83.4%.
October has been the best month (90% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (80%).
0.2% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
IAH to MSY 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlines | 87.8% | 64 min | 0.0% | 123 |
| United Airlines | 83.4% | 59 min | 0.1% | 2,776 |
| Frontier Airlines | Limited data | 27 | ||
| SkyWest Airlines | Limited data | 4 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly IAH to MSY
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 6,005 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12am–1am | Limited data | 2 | |
| 5am–6am | 87.0% | 0.0% | 46 |
| 6am–7am | Limited data | 28 | |
| 7am–8am | 91.0% | 0.8% | 724 |
| 8am–9am | 93.7% | 0.0% | 63 |
| 9am–10am | 85.1% | 0.9% | 667 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 24 | |
| 11am–12pm | 85.5% | 1.1% | 607 |
| 12pm–1pm | 87.4% | 0.0% | 111 |
| 1pm–2pm | 90.6% | 0.0% | 32 |
| 2pm–3pm | 80.3% | 1.4% | 500 |
| 3pm–4pm | 79.3% | 0.0% | 277 |
| 4pm–5pm | 81.5% | 1.7% | 631 |
| 5pm–6pm | Limited data | 11 | |
| 6pm–7pm | 72.9% | 0.8% | 707 |
| 7pm–8pm | 78.0% | 2.1% | 93 |
| 8pm–9pm | 77.7% | 1.2% | 744 |
| 9pm–10pm | 82.2% | 1.5% | 331 |
| 10pm–11pm | 84.4% | 1.0% | 397 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 10 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on IAH to MSY
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) | 90.4% | +6.3 pts | 0.0% | 115 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 82.2% | -1.9 pts | 2.5% | 202 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 71.7% | -12.5 pts | 1.0% | 920 |
| All other days | 84.2% | — | 1.1% | 4,768 |
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).