Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) is a tale of two seasons: departures ran 87% on-time in May 2026 but sank to 68% in July 2024. Across the year it averages 79% against a national 78%, over roughly 336 departures a day to 96 destinations.
- Departures on-time
- 79%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 18 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 75%
- Cancelled
- 2.9%
- Destinations
- 96
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 12
Plan your departure from EWR
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
- Tuesday
- 82% on-time
- Cancellation risk
- 2.9%
- above the US average
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from EWR
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 20 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 22 min |
| Friday | 75% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 23 min |
Busiest routes from EWR
Where flights into EWR come from
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCO (Orlando) → EWR | 6,532 | 72% | 26 min |
| ATL (Atlanta) → EWR | 6,265 | 68% | 27 min |
| ORD (Chicago) → EWR | 6,071 | 69% | 27 min |
| LAX (Los Angeles) → EWR | 4,843 | 79% | 17 min |
| FLL (Fort Lauderdale) → EWR | 4,716 | 71% | 24 min |
| SFO (San Francisco) → EWR | 4,371 | 75% | 21 min |
| MIA (Miami) → EWR | 3,951 | 70% | 25 min |
| BOS (Boston) → EWR | 3,866 | 75% | 22 min |
What causes delays at EWR
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing EWR.
- Late-arriving aircraft41%
- Airline operations27%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather5%
Alternative airports near Newark
Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.
| Airport | Distance | On-time departures | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| LGA — LaGuardia Airport | 17 mi | 79% | 18 min |
| JFK — John F. Kennedy International Airport | 21 mi | 79% | 17 min |
| HPN — Westchester County Airport | 36 mi | 79% | 20 min |
| TTN — Trenton Mercer Airport | 44 mi | 78% | 21 min |
| SWF — New York Stewart International Airport | 56 mi | 72% | 29 min |
Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.
Airline performance at EWR
| Airline | On-time departures | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airways | 86% | 11 min | 47,667 |
| Allegiant Air | 83% | 15 min | 1,322 |
| United Airlines | 78% | 18 min | 140,469 |
| American Airlines | 78% | 22 min | 13,645 |
| Alaska Airlines | 77% | 20 min | 6,514 |
| JetBlue Airways | 77% | 21 min | 11,010 |
| Delta Air Lines | 75% | 26 min | 13,737 |
| Spirit Airlines | 73% | 24 min | 17,514 |
| Frontier Airlines | 71% | 34 min | 2,214 |
| Envoy Air | 71% | 24 min | 1,434 |
| Endeavor Air | 70% | 32 min | 822 |
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at EWR?
- 21% of departures from Newark Liberty International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-07 and 2026-07, with an average departure delay of 18 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
- What is the best time of day to depart from EWR?
- Flights scheduled around 6 a.m. depart on time 91% of the time at EWR, versus 58% around 10 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at EWR?
- In this dataset, July 2024 was the weakest month at EWR, with 68% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at EWR?
- 2.9% of scheduled departures from EWR were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Related guides
Based on 256,361 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.