Best Time to Fly RDU to SEA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Raleigh-Durham International → Seattle/Tacoma International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 77.3% of Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Seattle (SEA) flights arrived on time (918 scheduled flights). That is in line with the national average of 77.6%.
Delta Air Lines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 82.8%, while Alaska Airlines trailed at 73.7%.
October has been the best month (88% on time) and Monday the weakest day of the week (75%).
1.5% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
RDU to SEA 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 | 82.8% | 49 min | 1.4% | 364 |
| Alaska Airlines | 73.7% | 48 min | 1.6% | 554 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly RDU to SEA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,814 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 87.0% | 0.3% | 288 |
| 7am–8am | 82.2% | 0.8% | 825 |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 18 | |
| 5pm–6pm | 74.1% | 1.5% | 196 |
| 6pm–7pm | 72.8% | 0.5% | 386 |
| 7pm–8pm | 70.4% | 3.0% | 101 |
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 SEA
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) | 60.0% | -21.4 pts | 0.0% | 30 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 72.9% | -8.5 pts | 1.2% | 86 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 75.8% | -5.6 pts | 0.8% | 371 |
| All other days | 81.4% | — | 0.9% | 1,327 |
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).