Columbia Regional Airport (COU): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Columbia Regional Airport (COU) is a tale of two seasons: departures ran 88% on-time in February 2026 but sank to 66% in December 2024. Across the year it averages 79% against a national 78%, over roughly 10 departures a day to 7 destinations.
- Departures on-time
- 79%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 21 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 76%
- Cancelled
- 2.9%
- Destinations
- 7
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 4
Plan your departure from COU
The choices most likely to improve your odds, based on this airport’s historical record.
- Best departure time
- Around 6 a.m.
- 91% on-time
- Best day to fly
- Wednesday
- 80% on-time
- Cancellation risk
- 2.9%
- above the US average
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from COU
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 21 min |
| Tuesday | 78% | 21 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 80% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 24 min |
| Friday | 77% | 25 min |
| Saturday | 74% | 21 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 27 min |
Busiest routes from COU
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| COU → ORD (Chicago) | 1,976 | 74% | 24 min |
| COU → DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) | 1,244 | 78% | 22 min |
| COU → DEN (Denver) | 309 | 88% | 10 min |
Where flights into COU come from
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORD (Chicago) → COU | 1,976 | 72% | 23 min |
| DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) → COU | 1,245 | 79% | 13 min |
| DEN (Denver) → COU | 310 | 83% | 23 min |
What causes delays at COU
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing COU.
- Late-arriving aircraft39%
- Airline operations29%
- National airspace system17%
- Weather15%
Alternative airports near Columbia
Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.
| Airport | Distance | On-time departures | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| STL — St. Louis Lambert International Airport | 100 mi | 77% | 16 min |
Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.
Airline performance at COU
| Airline | On-time departures | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy Air | 80% | 17 min | 4,193 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 76% | 31 min | 1,471 |
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at COU?
- 21% of departures from Columbia Regional Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-07 and 2026-07, with an average departure delay of 21 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
- What is the best time of day to depart from COU?
- Flights scheduled around 6 a.m. depart on time 91% of the time at COU, versus 68% around 7 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at COU?
- In this dataset, December 2024 was the weakest month at COU, with 66% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at COU?
- 2.9% of scheduled departures from COU were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Related guides
Based on 5,707 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.