Bellingham International Airport (BLI): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Bellingham International Airport (BLI) runs noticeably smoother than most US airports: 87% of its ~6 daily departures leave on time, 9 points above the national average, with an average departure delay of just 10 minutes. 3 airlines fly from Bellingham, WA to 10 destinations.
- Departures on-time
- 87%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 10 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 84%
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Destinations
- 10
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 3
Plan your departure from BLI
The choices most likely to improve your odds, based on this airport’s historical record.
- Best departure time
- Around 6 a.m.
- 97% on-time
- Best day to fly
- Monday
- 86% on-time
- Cancellation risk
- 1.1%
- below the US average
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from BLI
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Mondaybest | 86% | 11 min |
| Tuesday | 84% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 86% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 82% | 13 min |
| Friday | 84% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 85% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 86% | 11 min |
Busiest routes from BLI
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| BLI → SEA (Seattle) | 1,217 | 80% | 13 min |
| BLI → LAS (Las Vegas) | 435 | 91% | 11 min |
| BLI → AZA (Phoenix) | 145 | 90% | 13 min |
| BLI → PDX (Portland) | 135 | 93% | 4 min |
| BLI → PSP (Palm Springs) | 106 | 87% | 12 min |
| BLI → OAK (Oakland) | 101 | 92% | 8 min |
Where flights into BLI come from
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| SEA (Seattle) → BLI | 1,216 | 82% | 10 min |
| LAS (Las Vegas) → BLI | 434 | 86% | 14 min |
| AZA (Phoenix) → BLI | 145 | 85% | 10 min |
| PDX (Portland) → BLI | 136 | 91% | 5 min |
| PSP (Palm Springs) → BLI | 106 | 83% | 11 min |
| OAK (Oakland) → BLI | 101 | 84% | 19 min |
What causes delays at BLI
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing BLI.
- Late-arriving aircraft28%
- Airline operations46%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather11%
Alternative airports near Bellingham
Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.
| Airport | Distance | On-time departures | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| PAE — Seattle Paine Field International Airport | 62 mi | 86% | 10 min |
| SEA — Seattle–Tacoma International Airport | 94 mi | 79% | 13 min |
Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.
Airline performance at BLI
| Airline | On-time departures | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allegiant Air | 91% | 10 min | 2,042 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 85% | 10 min | 2,644 |
| Southwest Airlines | 81% | 12 min | 110 |
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at BLI?
- 13% of departures from Bellingham International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-07 and 2026-07, with an average departure delay of 10 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
- What is the best time of day to depart from BLI?
- Flights scheduled around 6 a.m. depart on time 97% of the time at BLI, versus 77% around 4 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at BLI?
- In this dataset, September 2024 was the weakest month at BLI, with 81% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at BLI?
- 1.1% of scheduled departures from BLI were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Related guides
Based on 4,796 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.