FlightRecord

Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM): Delays & On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM) runs noticeably smoother than most US airports: 84% of its ~3 daily departures leave on time, 6 points above the national average, with an average departure delay of just 13 minutes. 2 airlines fly from Fort Smith, AR to 1 destinations.

Departures on-time
84%
left <15 min late
Avg dep delay
13 min
Arrivals on-time
82%
Cancelled
2.9%
Destinations
1
nonstop
Airlines
2

Plan your departure from FSM

The choices most likely to improve your odds, based on this airport’s historical record.

Best departure time
Around 5 a.m.
94% on-time
Best day to fly
Tuesday
85% on-time
Nearest alternative
XNAFayetteville
65 miles away
Cancellation risk
2.9%
above the US average

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly departure on-time percentage at FSM50%75%100%June 2024: 62% on-time (109 flights)62Jun 2024July 2024: 74% on-time (112 flights)74August 2024: 87% on-time (117 flights)87September 2024: 88% on-time (99 flights)88Sep 2024October 2024: 92% on-time (113 flights)92November 2024: 89% on-time (87 flights)89December 2024: 87% on-time (91 flights)87Dec 2024January 2025: 86% on-time (93 flights)86February 2025: 92% on-time (84 flights)92March 2025: 92% on-time (93 flights)92Mar 2025April 2025: 83% on-time (90 flights)83May 2025: 83% on-time (93 flights)83June 2025: 67% on-time (106 flights)67Jun 2025July 2025: 72% on-time (108 flights)72August 2025: 88% on-time (96 flights)88September 2025: 88% on-time (118 flights)88Sep 2025October 2025: 88% on-time (97 flights)88November 2025: 88% on-time (98 flights)88December 2025: 83% on-time (93 flights)83Dec 2025January 2026: 83% on-time (93 flights)83February 2026: 92% on-time (82 flights)92March 2026: 87% on-time (93 flights)87Mar 2026April 2026: 87% on-time (90 flights)87May 2026: 79% on-time (102 flights)79

Best time of day to depart from FSM

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour at FSM5 a.m.: 94% on-time (103 flights)56 a.m.: 93% on-time (625 flights)610 a.m.: 85% on-time (647 flights)104 p.m.: 77% on-time (164 flights)166 p.m.: 80% on-time (495 flights)188 p.m.: 61% on-time (136 flights)20scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday84%11 min
Tuesdaybest85%11 min
Wednesday82%14 min
Thursday81%18 min
Friday83%12 min
Saturday83%13 min
Sunday82%16 min

Next: compare the busiest routes from FSM

Busiest routes from FSM

RouteFlights/12moOn-timeAvg delay
FSMDFW (Dallas/Fort Worth)1,17683%13 min

Where flights into FSM come from

RouteFlights/12moOn-timeAvg delay
DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth)FSM1,17682%11 min

What causes delays at FSM

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing FSM.

  • Late-arriving aircraft50%
  • Airline operations17%
  • National airspace system17%
  • Weather16%

Alternative airports near Fort Smith

Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.

AirportDistanceOn-time departuresAvg delay
XNANorthwest Arkansas National Airport65 mi82%17 min
TULTulsa International Airport104 mi83%15 min

Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights delayed at FSM?
16% of departures from Fort Smith Regional Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-06 and 2026-05, with an average departure delay of 13 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
What is the best time of day to depart from FSM?
Flights scheduled around 5 a.m. depart on time 94% of the time at FSM, versus 61% around 8 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
How often are flights cancelled at FSM?
2.9% of scheduled departures from FSM were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.

Popular route pages from this airport

Related guides

Based on 2,357 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.