FlightRecord

Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK): Delays & On-Time Performance

Data through July 2026

Build in buffer at Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK): only 71% of departures leave on time, 7 points below the US average, and the mean departure delay is 29 minutes. It remains a major gateway for Columbus, OH, with 1 carriers serving 10 nonstop destinations.

Departures on-time
71%
left <15 min late
Avg dep delay
29 min
Arrivals on-time
75%
Cancelled
1.3%
Destinations
10
nonstop
Airlines
1

Plan your departure from LCK

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

Best departure time
Around 11 a.m.
88% on-time
Best day to fly
Tuesday
75% on-time
Nearest alternative
CMH — Columbus
13 miles away
Cancellation risk
1.3%
below the US average
Check routes from LCK ↓Compare nearby airports ↓

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly departure on-time percentage at LCK50%75%100%August 2024: 67% on-time (92 flights)67Aug 2024September 2024: 71% on-time (64 flights)71October 2024: 90% on-time (63 flights)90November 2024: 80% on-time (51 flights)80Nov 2024December 2024: 57% on-time (68 flights)57January 2025: 70% on-time (63 flights)70February 2025: 67% on-time (61 flights)67Feb 2025March 2025: 71% on-time (102 flights)71April 2025: 69% on-time (84 flights)69May 2025: 64% on-time (108 flights)64May 2025June 2025: 61% on-time (162 flights)61July 2025: 63% on-time (162 flights)63August 2025: 75% on-time (118 flights)75Aug 2025September 2025: 90% on-time (71 flights)90October 2025: 88% on-time (90 flights)88November 2025: 84% on-time (68 flights)84Nov 2025December 2025: 63% on-time (81 flights)63January 2026: 79% on-time (63 flights)79February 2026: 71% on-time (59 flights)71Feb 2026March 2026: 70% on-time (105 flights)70April 2026: 70% on-time (74 flights)70May 2026: 73% on-time (102 flights)73May 2026June 2026: 68% on-time (150 flights)68July 2026: 68% on-time (154 flights)68

Best time of day to depart from LCK

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour at LCK9 a.m.: 84% on-time (267 flights)910 a.m.: 87% on-time (227 flights)1011 a.m.: 88% on-time (119 flights)1112 p.m.: 85% on-time (165 flights)122 p.m.: 76% on-time (106 flights)143 p.m.: 68% on-time (248 flights)154 p.m.: 58% on-time (229 flights)165 p.m.: 72% on-time (205 flights)176 p.m.: 68% on-time (156 flights)187 p.m.: 75% on-time (112 flights)198 p.m.: 53% on-time (152 flights)209 p.m.: 44% on-time (228 flights)21scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday66%48 min
Tuesdaybest75%19 min
Wednesday70%25 min
Thursday74%21 min
Friday62%43 min
Saturday65%23 min
Sunday73%25 min

Next: compare the busiest routes from LCK ↓

Busiest routes from LCK

RouteFlights/12moOn-timeAvg delay
LCK → PGD (Punta Gorda)18767%32 min
LCK → PIE (St. Petersburg)17263%43 min
LCK → SFB (Sanford)16258%43 min
LCK → SAV (Savannah)13983%14 min
LCK → SRQ (Sarasota/Bradenton)12484%16 min
LCK → VPS (Valparaiso)12373%20 min
LCK → MYR (Myrtle Beach)11868%19 min

Where flights into LCK come from

RouteFlights/12moOn-timeAvg delay
PGD (Punta Gorda) → LCK18675%16 min
PIE (St. Petersburg) → LCK17274%22 min
SFB (Sanford) → LCK16265%24 min
SAV (Savannah) → LCK13988%14 min
SRQ (Sarasota/Bradenton) → LCK12490%7 min
VPS (Valparaiso) → LCK12381%11 min
MYR (Myrtle Beach) → LCK11867%22 min

Most reliable routes

  1. LCK → SRQ84%
  2. LCK → SAV83%
  3. LCK → VPS73%
  4. LCK → MYR68%
  5. LCK → PGD67%

Most delay-prone routes

  1. LCK → SFB58%
  2. LCK → PIE63%
  3. LCK → PGD67%
  4. LCK → MYR68%
  5. LCK → VPS73%

What causes delays at LCK

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

  • Late-arriving aircraft52%
  • Airline operations29%
  • National airspace system11%
  • Weather6%
  • Security1%

Alternative airports near Columbus

Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.

AirportDistanceOn-time departuresAvg delay
CMH — John Glenn Columbus International Airport13 mi82%15 min
DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport69 mi82%20 min
CVG — Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport107 mi81%16 min
CAK — Akron Canton Regional Airport109 mi78%26 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 LCK?
29% of departures from Rickenbacker International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-07 and 2026-07, with an average departure delay of 29 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
What is the best time of day to depart from LCK?
Flights scheduled around 11 a.m. depart on time 88% of the time at LCK, versus 44% around 9 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
How often are flights cancelled at LCK?
1.3% of scheduled departures from LCK were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.

Popular route pages from this airport

Related guides

Based on 2,346 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.