Great Falls International Airport (GTF): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Great Falls International Airport (GTF) runs noticeably smoother than most US airports: 90% of its ~6 daily departures leave on time, 12 points above the national average, with an average departure delay of just 10 minutes. 3 airlines fly from Great Falls, MT to 7 destinations.
- Departures on-time
- 90%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 10 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 87%
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Destinations
- 7
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 3
Plan your departure from GTF
The choices most likely to improve your odds, based on this airport’s historical record.
- Best departure time
- Around 5 a.m.
- 97% on-time
- Best day to fly
- Wednesday
- 91% on-time
- Cancellation risk
- 0.5%
- below the US average
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from GTF
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 87% | 10 min |
| Tuesday | 90% | 7 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 91% | 8 min |
| Thursday | 87% | 15 min |
| Friday | 86% | 11 min |
| Saturday | 88% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 87% | 10 min |
Busiest routes from GTF
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| GTF → SLC (Salt Lake City) | 1,071 | 93% | 5 min |
| GTF → DEN (Denver) | 728 | 84% | 15 min |
| GTF → LAS (Las Vegas) | 111 | 82% | 25 min |
| GTF → SEA (Seattle) | 106 | 78% | 12 min |
Where flights into GTF come from
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| SLC (Salt Lake City) → GTF | 1,071 | 94% | 4 min |
| DEN (Denver) → GTF | 728 | 78% | 17 min |
| LAS (Las Vegas) → GTF | 111 | 90% | 8 min |
| SEA (Seattle) → GTF | 106 | 82% | 11 min |
What causes delays at GTF
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing GTF.
- Late-arriving aircraft20%
- Airline operations41%
- National airspace system21%
- Weather18%
Alternative airports near Great Falls
Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.
| Airport | Distance | On-time departures | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| HLN — Helena Regional Airport | 67 mi | 88% | 15 min |
| BZN — Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport | 118 mi | 80% | 17 min |
| BTM — Bert Mooney Airport | 118 mi | 91% | 11 min |
Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.
Airline performance at GTF
| Airline | On-time departures | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlines | 92% | 6 min | 3,566 |
| United Airlines | 84% | 18 min | 863 |
| Allegiant Air | 80% | 23 min | 415 |
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at GTF?
- 10% of departures from Great Falls 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 GTF?
- Flights scheduled around 5 a.m. depart on time 97% of the time at GTF, versus 72% around 4 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at GTF?
- In this dataset, March 2026 was the weakest month at GTF, with 85% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at GTF?
- 0.5% of scheduled departures from GTF were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Related guides
Based on 4,844 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.