Best Time to Fly MSY to ATL: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International → Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 82.5% of New Orleans (MSY) to Atlanta (ATL) flights arrived on time (4,028 scheduled flights). That is 4.8 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Delta Air Lines was the most punctual of the 4 airlines on the route at 86.8%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 53.6%.
September has been the best month (90% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (73%).
1.5% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
MSY 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 | 86.8% | 71 min | 1.6% | 3,280 |
| Southwest Airlines | 68.9% | 48 min | 0.3% | 352 |
| Spirit Airlines | 67.2% | 87 min | 2.1% | 140 |
| Frontier Airlines | 53.6% | 76 min | 2.4% | 254 |
| American Airlines | Limited data | 2 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly MSY to ATL
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 8,516 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 93.7% | 1.9% | 787 |
| 6am–7am | 87.7% | 2.2% | 881 |
| 7am–8am | 89.7% | 1.1% | 757 |
| 8am–9am | 80.0% | 3.9% | 78 |
| 9am–10am | 91.8% | 3.1% | 453 |
| 10am–11am | 88.0% | 1.6% | 668 |
| 11am–12pm | 83.2% | 1.6% | 556 |
| 12pm–1pm | 79.6% | 1.2% | 588 |
| 1pm–2pm | 82.5% | 0.6% | 322 |
| 2pm–3pm | 76.4% | 0.8% | 495 |
| 3pm–4pm | 75.5% | 1.2% | 841 |
| 4pm–5pm | 68.7% | 1.2% | 250 |
| 5pm–6pm | 71.6% | 2.1% | 954 |
| 6pm–7pm | 74.7% | 0.7% | 287 |
| 7pm–8pm | 71.3% | 1.1% | 465 |
| 8pm–9pm | Limited data | 8 | |
| 9pm–10pm | 74.8% | 4.8% | 104 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 22 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on MSY 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) | 80.3% | -2.6 pts | 0.0% | 178 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 80.5% | -2.5 pts | 2.3% | 346 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 76.8% | -6.1 pts | 1.6% | 1,337 |
| All other days | 82.9% | — | 1.6% | 6,655 |
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).