Best Time to Fly MDW to DCA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Chicago Midway International → Ronald Reagan Washington National
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 69.7% of Chicago (MDW) to Washington (DCA) flights arrived on time (2,100 scheduled flights). That is 7.9 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 (68%).
1.9% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
MDW to DCA 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 | 69.7% | 56 min | 1.9% | 2,100 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly MDW to DCA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,200 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 95.8% | 0.0% | 118 |
| 6am–7am | 88.1% | 1.4% | 368 |
| 7am–8am | 94.0% | 0.9% | 220 |
| 8am–9am | 92.3% | 0.6% | 172 |
| 9am–10am | 86.9% | 1.3% | 449 |
| 10am–11am | 85.5% | 0.0% | 118 |
| 11am–12pm | 71.4% | 1.5% | 335 |
| 12pm–1pm | 73.2% | 1.5% | 408 |
| 1pm–2pm | 58.1% | 1.6% | 128 |
| 2pm–3pm | 69.2% | 1.7% | 120 |
| 3pm–4pm | 68.8% | 3.5% | 423 |
| 4pm–5pm | 55.7% | 0.0% | 61 |
| 5pm–6pm | 62.0% | 3.2% | 527 |
| 6pm–7pm | 47.8% | 4.1% | 121 |
| 7pm–8pm | 62.8% | 0.0% | 113 |
| 8pm–9pm | 62.1% | 2.7% | 481 |
| 9pm–10pm | 52.6% | 0.0% | 38 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on MDW to DCA
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) | 74.2% | -0.8 pts | 4.3% | 69 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 75.8% | +0.7 pts | 0.0% | 157 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 66.6% | -8.5 pts | 2.9% | 722 |
| All other days | 75.1% | — | 1.7% | 3,252 |
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).