Best Time to Fly RDU to IAH: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Raleigh-Durham International → George Bush Intercontinental/Houston
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 85.3% of Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Houston (IAH) flights arrived on time (924 scheduled flights). That is 7.7 points above the national average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 88.4%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 75.7%.
April has been the best month (91% on time) and Monday the weakest day of the week (78%).
1.2% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
RDU to IAH 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 | 88.4% | 79 min | 0.9% | 696 |
| Frontier Airlines | 75.7% | 93 min | 2.2% | 227 |
| SkyWest Airlines | Limited data | 1 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly RDU to IAH
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,751 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 91.8% | 1.1% | 711 |
| 7am–8am | Limited data | 21 | |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 14 | |
| 9am–10am | Limited data | 16 | |
| 10am–11am | 82.1% | 0.7% | 135 |
| 11am–12pm | Limited data | 3 | |
| 12pm–1pm | Limited data | 22 | |
| 1pm–2pm | Limited data | 11 | |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 6 | |
| 4pm–5pm | 80.7% | 0.9% | 433 |
| 5pm–6pm | 69.3% | 2.0% | 249 |
| 6pm–7pm | 53.3% | 2.1% | 94 |
| 7pm–8pm | Limited data | 19 | |
| 8pm–9pm | Limited data | 17 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on RDU to IAH
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) | 65.7% | -18.2 pts | 2.8% | 36 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 81.1% | -2.8 pts | 0.0% | 74 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 73.5% | -10.3 pts | 2.4% | 298 |
| All other days | 83.9% | — | 1.1% | 1,343 |
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).