Best Time to Fly MSY to DCA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International → Ronald Reagan Washington National
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 70.5% of New Orleans (MSY) to Washington (DCA) flights arrived on time (1,948 scheduled flights). That is 7.1 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Republic Airways was the most punctual of the 4 airlines on the route at 82.5%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 67.2%.
September has been the best month (81% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (68%).
3.0% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
MSY 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airways | 82.5% | 50 min | 1.5% | 204 |
| American Airlines | 73.3% | 79 min | 2.6% | 454 |
| PSA Airlines | 68.1% | 127 min | 6.3% | 586 |
| Southwest Airlines | 67.2% | 66 min | 0.8% | 704 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly MSY to DCA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,834 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 83.9% | 0.0% | 87 |
| 6am–7am | 86.5% | 5.9% | 102 |
| 7am–8am | 92.7% | 0.0% | 55 |
| 8am–9am | 89.0% | 1.9% | 103 |
| 9am–10am | 87.5% | 1.5% | 195 |
| 10am–11am | 79.7% | 3.0% | 877 |
| 11am–12pm | 82.0% | 1.2% | 165 |
| 12pm–1pm | 77.2% | 3.3% | 60 |
| 1pm–2pm | 61.1% | 2.7% | 37 |
| 2pm–3pm | 72.5% | 2.6% | 227 |
| 3pm–4pm | 70.3% | 5.9% | 529 |
| 4pm–5pm | 62.6% | 6.1% | 495 |
| 5pm–6pm | 57.5% | 2.9% | 855 |
| 6pm–7pm | 70.5% | 4.3% | 47 |
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 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) | 81.8% | +9.0 pts | 0.0% | 66 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 77.8% | +5.0 pts | 0.7% | 150 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 63.2% | -9.6 pts | 6.4% | 596 |
| All other days | 72.8% | — | 3.2% | 3,022 |
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).