Best Time to Fly ORF to DEN: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Norfolk International → Denver International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 75.1% of Norfolk (ORF) to Denver (DEN) flights arrived on time (636 scheduled flights). That is 2.5 points below the national average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 81.1%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 63.5%.
September has been the best month (89% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (70%).
0.8% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
ORF to DEN 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 81.1% | 71 min | 0.5% | 416 |
| Southwest Airlines | 63.5% | 47 min | 1.4% | 220 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly ORF to DEN
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,286 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 16 | |
| 7am–8am | 93.9% | 0.0% | 49 |
| 8am–9am | 84.2% | 0.7% | 710 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 11am–12pm | 86.7% | 0.0% | 30 |
| 12pm–1pm | 81.8% | 0.0% | 44 |
| 1pm–2pm | Limited data | 19 | |
| 2pm–3pm | 72.2% | 0.0% | 129 |
| 3pm–4pm | 58.3% | 0.0% | 134 |
| 4pm–5pm | 55.8% | 0.0% | 122 |
| 5pm–6pm | Limited data | 22 | |
| 6pm–7pm | Limited data | 1 | |
| 7pm–8pm | Limited data | 9 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on ORF to DEN
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) | Limited data | 25 | ||
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 82.7% | +2.4 pts | 0.0% | 52 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 66.5% | -13.7 pts | 0.7% | 281 |
| All other days | 80.3% | — | 0.7% | 928 |
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).