Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Buffalo Niagara International Airport (BUF) is a tale of two seasons: departures ran 88% on-time in November 2024 but sank to 68% in July 2026. Across the year it averages 79% against a national 78%, over roughly 57 departures a day to 36 destinations.
- Departures on-time
- 79%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 17 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 74%
- Cancelled
- 2.2%
- Destinations
- 36
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 11
Plan your departure from BUF
The choices most likely to improve your odds, based on this airport’s historical record.
- Best departure time
- Around 7 a.m.
- 92% on-time
- Best day to fly
- Tuesday
- 82% on-time
- Cancellation risk
- 2.2%
- above the US average
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from BUF
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 19 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 82% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 18 min |
| Friday | 78% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 21 min |
Busiest routes from BUF
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| BUF → ORD (Chicago) | 2,199 | 76% | 22 min |
| BUF → MCO (Orlando) | 1,792 | 79% | 15 min |
| BUF → LGA (New York) | 1,758 | 81% | 16 min |
| BUF → BWI (Baltimore) | 1,750 | 86% | 9 min |
| BUF → ATL (Atlanta) | 1,520 | 79% | 15 min |
| BUF → BOS (Boston) | 1,295 | 78% | 17 min |
| BUF → JFK (New York) | 1,217 | 78% | 20 min |
| BUF → DTW (Detroit) | 1,207 | 82% | 18 min |
| BUF → CLT (Charlotte) | 1,165 | 78% | 22 min |
| BUF → DCA (Washington) | 1,134 | 68% | 34 min |
| BUF → MDW (Chicago) | 824 | 80% | 13 min |
| BUF → TPA (Tampa) | 732 | 78% | 15 min |
| BUF → DEN (Denver) | 586 | 78% | 13 min |
| BUF → DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) | 578 | 75% | 19 min |
| BUF → FLL (Fort Lauderdale) | 553 | 77% | 17 min |
| BUF → EWR (Newark) | 482 | 88% | 11 min |
| BUF → BNA (Nashville) | 370 | 81% | 11 min |
| BUF → LAS (Las Vegas) | 302 | 82% | 11 min |
| BUF → PHL (Philadelphia) | 263 | 80% | 22 min |
| BUF → PHX (Phoenix) | 199 | 77% | 12 min |
| BUF → IAD (Washington) | 147 | 86% | 15 min |
| BUF → LAX (Los Angeles) | 137 | 66% | 27 min |
| BUF → RSW (Fort Myers) | 134 | 78% | 14 min |
| BUF → RDU (Raleigh/Durham) | 106 | 79% | 14 min |
Where flights into BUF come from
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORD (Chicago) → BUF | 2,198 | 73% | 20 min |
| MCO (Orlando) → BUF | 1,790 | 72% | 18 min |
| LGA (New York) → BUF | 1,758 | 78% | 15 min |
| BWI (Baltimore) → BUF | 1,748 | 75% | 15 min |
| ATL (Atlanta) → BUF | 1,521 | 77% | 15 min |
| BOS (Boston) → BUF | 1,295 | 78% | 17 min |
| JFK (New York) → BUF | 1,218 | 73% | 21 min |
| DTW (Detroit) → BUF | 1,207 | 77% | 21 min |
What causes delays at BUF
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing BUF.
- Late-arriving aircraft42%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system24%
- Weather4%
Alternative airports near Buffalo
Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.
| Airport | Distance | On-time departures | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROC — Frederick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport | 55 mi | 78% | 18 min |
| ELM — Elmira Corning Regional Airport | 108 mi | 80% | 19 min |
Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.
Airline performance at BUF
| Airline | On-time departures | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 85% | 14 min | 2,121 |
| Republic Airways | 83% | 15 min | 6,006 |
| Endeavor Air | 83% | 15 min | 1,020 |
| Envoy Air | 81% | 14 min | 1,469 |
| JetBlue Airways | 80% | 18 min | 7,391 |
| Delta Air Lines | 80% | 15 min | 3,878 |
| American Airlines | 79% | 21 min | 4,600 |
| Southwest Airlines | 79% | 13 min | 11,481 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 75% | 26 min | 1,827 |
| Frontier Airlines | 74% | 21 min | 2,139 |
| PSA Airlines | 71% | 35 min | 2,219 |
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at BUF?
- 21% of departures from Buffalo Niagara International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-07 and 2026-07, with an average departure delay of 17 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
- What is the best time of day to depart from BUF?
- Flights scheduled around 7 a.m. depart on time 92% of the time at BUF, versus 56% around 9 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at BUF?
- In this dataset, July 2026 was the weakest month at BUF, with 68% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at BUF?
- 2.2% of scheduled departures from BUF were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Related guides
Based on 44,151 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.