Best Time to Fly JFK to ATL: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
John F. Kennedy International → Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 76.5% of New York (JFK) to Atlanta (ATL) flights arrived on time (4,249 scheduled flights). That is 1.1 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Delta Air Lines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 82.3%, while JetBlue trailed at 68.0%.
September has been the best month (82% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (69%).
2.6% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
JFK to ATL 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 82.3% | 89 min | 1.7% | 2,453 |
| Frontier Airlines | 69.0% | 80 min | 2.1% | 705 |
| JetBlue | 68.0% | 74 min | 4.9% | 1,091 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly JFK to ATL
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 8,287 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 13 | |
| 6am–7am | 82.7% | 2.2% | 1,332 |
| 7am–8am | 79.0% | 2.4% | 127 |
| 8am–9am | 81.1% | 1.7% | 982 |
| 9am–10am | 72.3% | 0.7% | 280 |
| 10am–11am | 78.3% | 1.9% | 366 |
| 11am–12pm | 80.4% | 2.4% | 341 |
| 12pm–1pm | 83.9% | 1.4% | 651 |
| 1pm–2pm | 70.9% | 1.1% | 803 |
| 2pm–3pm | 73.9% | 0.4% | 260 |
| 3pm–4pm | 70.3% | 2.4% | 718 |
| 4pm–5pm | 75.7% | 2.3% | 354 |
| 5pm–6pm | 70.1% | 1.4% | 553 |
| 6pm–7pm | 65.6% | 1.6% | 193 |
| 7pm–8pm | 73.9% | 2.0% | 345 |
| 8pm–9pm | 65.9% | 4.8% | 497 |
| 9pm–10pm | 67.0% | 1.3% | 470 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 2 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on JFK to ATL
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) | 69.3% | -8.2 pts | 1.1% | 188 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 62.5% | -15.1 pts | 3.3% | 331 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 70.5% | -7.1 pts | 4.1% | 1,406 |
| All other days | 77.6% | — | 1.4% | 6,362 |
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).