Best Time to Fly RAP to DEN: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Rapid City Regional → Denver International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,867 flights were scheduled from Rapid City (RAP) to Denver (DEN) in the last 12 months, and 80.1% of those that flew arrived on time, 2.5 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, United Airlines led with 83.5% on time and SkyWest Airlines was last with 78.8%.
Over 24 months, Sunday was the most reliable day (82% on time) and June the worst month (70%).
The cancellation rate was 1.1% (US average 1.8%).
RAP 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 | 83.5% | 62 min | 0.8% | 762 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 78.8% | 88 min | 1.2% | 2,105 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly RAP to DEN
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 5,602 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 86.3% | 0.4% | 712 |
| 7am–8am | 79.7% | 1.1% | 727 |
| 8am–9am | 67.8% | 1.0% | 590 |
| 9am–10am | 85.9% | 0.4% | 249 |
| 10am–11am | 85.6% | 1.4% | 429 |
| 11am–12pm | 81.6% | 0.7% | 542 |
| 12pm–1pm | 88.7% | 1.7% | 461 |
| 1pm–2pm | 89.7% | 1.9% | 267 |
| 2pm–3pm | 87.2% | 2.0% | 151 |
| 3pm–4pm | 71.2% | 2.1% | 560 |
| 4pm–5pm | 57.4% | 3.0% | 337 |
| 5pm–6pm | 68.0% | 1.8% | 453 |
| 6pm–7pm | 83.8% | 2.5% | 120 |
| 7pm–8pm | Limited data | 2 | |
| 9pm–10pm | 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 RAP 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) | 73.5% | -6.9 pts | 0.0% | 98 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 77.8% | -2.6 pts | 0.0% | 189 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 72.0% | -8.4 pts | 1.2% | 1,046 |
| All other days | 80.4% | — | 1.5% | 4,269 |
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).