Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole (KOA) runs noticeably smoother than most US airports: 88% of its ~44 daily departures leave on time, 10 points above the national average, with an average departure delay of just 9 minutes. 6 airlines fly from Kona, HI to 18 destinations.
- Departures on-time
- 88%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 9 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 85%
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Destinations
- 18
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 6
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from KOA
Busiest routes from KOA
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| KOA → HNL | 7,319 | 88% | 7 min |
| KOA → LAX | 1,606 | 84% | 17 min |
| KOA → OGG | 1,460 | 90% | 5 min |
| KOA → SEA | 1,422 | 86% | 9 min |
| KOA → SFO | 1,008 | 85% | 13 min |
| KOA → SMF | 521 | 89% | 8 min |
| KOA → PHX | 384 | 93% | 25 min |
| KOA → DEN | 370 | 91% | 7 min |
Airline performance at KOA
| Airline | On-time departures | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 94% | 3 min | 6,212 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 90% | 6 min | 11,967 |
| United Airlines | 90% | 11 min | 3,238 |
| American Airlines | 88% | 26 min | 1,604 |
| Delta Air Lines | 84% | 12 min | 1,556 |
| Alaska Airlines | 81% | 12 min | 7,650 |
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at KOA?
- 12% of departures from Ellison Onizuka Kona International Airport at Keāhole left 15+ minutes late between 2024-06 and 2026-05, with an average departure delay of 9 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
- What is the best time of day to depart from KOA?
- Flights scheduled around 7 a.m. depart on time 96% of the time at KOA, versus 81% around 5 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at KOA?
- In this dataset, March 2026 was the weakest month at KOA, with 81% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at KOA?
- 1% of scheduled departures from KOA were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Based on 32,227 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.