How often are flights delayed at HLN?

12% of departures from Helena Regional Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-07 and 2026-07, with an average departure delay of 15 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.

What is the best time of day to depart from HLN?

Flights scheduled around 5 a.m. depart on time 97% of the time at HLN, versus 55% around 5 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.

What is the worst month for delays at HLN?

In this dataset, June 2025 was the weakest month at HLN, with 72% of departures on time.

How often are flights cancelled at HLN?

0.5% of scheduled departures from HLN were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.

Helena Regional Airport (HLN): Delays & On-Time Performance

Data through July 2026

Helena Regional Airport (HLN) is a tale of two seasons: departures ran 98% on-time in May 2026 but sank to 72% in June 2025. Across the year it averages 88% against a national 78%, over roughly 4 departures a day to 3 destinations.

Departures on-time: 88%; left <15 min late
Avg dep delay: 15 min
Arrivals on-time: 86%
Cancelled: 0.5%
Destinations: 3; nonstop
Airlines: 1

Plan your departure from HLN

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: Saturday; 87% on-time
Nearest alternative: BTM — Butte; 51 miles away
Cancellation risk: 0.5%; below the US average

Check routes from HLN ↓Compare nearby airports ↓

Monthly on-time trend

Best time of day to depart from HLN

By day of week

Day	On-time	Avg delay
Monday	84%	14 min
Tuesday	86%	14 min
Wednesday	85%	17 min
Thursday	85%	18 min
Friday	84%	21 min
Saturdaybest	87%	13 min
Sunday	85%	16 min

Next: compare the busiest routes from HLN ↓

Busiest routes from HLN

Route	Flights/12mo	On-time	Avg delay
HLN → DEN (Denver)	814	76%	27 min
HLN → SLC (Salt Lake City)	725	96%	4 min

Where flights into HLN come from

Route	Flights/12mo	On-time	Avg delay
DEN (Denver) → HLN	814	76%	20 min
SLC (Salt Lake City) → HLN	725	96%	2 min

What causes delays at HLN

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

Late-arriving aircraft20%
Airline operations45%
National airspace system22%
Weather13%

Alternative airports near Helena

Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.

Airport	Distance	On-time departures	Avg delay
BTM — Bert Mooney Airport	51 mi	91%	11 min
GTF — Great Falls International Airport	67 mi	90%	10 min
BZN — Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport	70 mi	80%	17 min
MSO — Missoula Montana Airport	102 mi	83%	16 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 HLN?: 12% of departures from Helena Regional Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-07 and 2026-07, with an average departure delay of 15 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
What is the best time of day to depart from HLN?: Flights scheduled around 5 a.m. depart on time 97% of the time at HLN, versus 55% around 5 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
What is the worst month for delays at HLN?: In this dataset, June 2025 was the weakest month at HLN, with 72% of departures on time.
How often are flights cancelled at HLN?: 0.5% of scheduled departures from HLN were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.

Popular route pages from this airport

Related guides

Based on 3,276 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.