FlightRecord

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

Data through May 2026

Build in buffer at Rickenbacker International Airport (LCK): only 72% of departures leave on time, 6 points below the US average, and the mean departure delay is 28 minutes. It remains a major gateway for Columbus, OH, with 1 carriers serving 10 nonstop destinations.

Departures on-time
72%
left <15 min late
Avg dep delay
28 min
Arrivals on-time
76%
Cancelled
1.4%
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
77% on-time
Nearest alternative
CMH — Columbus
13 miles away
Cancellation risk
1.4%
below the US average
Check routes from LCK ↓Compare nearby airports ↓

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly departure on-time percentage at LCK50%75%100%June 2024: 77% on-time (136 flights)77Jun 2024July 2024: 74% on-time (131 flights)74August 2024: 67% on-time (92 flights)67September 2024: 71% on-time (64 flights)71Sep 2024October 2024: 90% on-time (63 flights)90November 2024: 80% on-time (51 flights)80December 2024: 57% on-time (68 flights)57Dec 2024January 2025: 70% on-time (63 flights)70February 2025: 67% on-time (61 flights)67March 2025: 71% on-time (102 flights)71Mar 2025April 2025: 69% on-time (84 flights)69May 2025: 64% on-time (108 flights)64June 2025: 61% on-time (162 flights)61Jun 2025July 2025: 63% on-time (162 flights)63August 2025: 75% on-time (118 flights)75September 2025: 90% on-time (71 flights)90Sep 2025October 2025: 88% on-time (90 flights)88November 2025: 84% on-time (68 flights)84December 2025: 63% on-time (81 flights)63Dec 2025January 2026: 79% on-time (63 flights)79February 2026: 71% on-time (59 flights)71March 2026: 70% on-time (105 flights)70Mar 2026April 2026: 70% on-time (74 flights)70May 2026: 73% on-time (102 flights)73

Best time of day to depart from LCK

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour at LCK9 a.m.: 85% on-time (239 flights)910 a.m.: 87% on-time (214 flights)1011 a.m.: 88% on-time (118 flights)1112 p.m.: 85% on-time (144 flights)123 p.m.: 68% on-time (225 flights)154 p.m.: 57% on-time (234 flights)165 p.m.: 73% on-time (193 flights)176 p.m.: 70% on-time (139 flights)187 p.m.: 75% on-time (111 flights)198 p.m.: 54% on-time (139 flights)209 p.m.: 44% on-time (202 flights)21scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday64%52 min
Tuesdaybest77%20 min
Wednesday72%19 min
Thursday74%20 min
Friday63%40 min
Saturday67%20 min
Sunday73%24 min

Next: compare the busiest routes from LCK ↓

Busiest routes from LCK

RouteFlights/12moOn-timeAvg delay
LCK → PGD (Punta Gorda)18967%30 min
LCK → PIE (St. Petersburg)17265%39 min
LCK → SFB (Sanford)16657%42 min
LCK → SAV (Savannah)13981%15 min
LCK → SRQ (Sarasota/Bradenton)13184%16 min
LCK → VPS (Valparaiso)12576%14 min
LCK → MYR (Myrtle Beach)11868%19 min

Where flights into LCK come from

RouteFlights/12moOn-timeAvg delay
PGD (Punta Gorda) → LCK18875%16 min
PIE (St. Petersburg) → LCK17276%19 min
SFB (Sanford) → LCK16663%25 min
SAV (Savannah) → LCK13986%15 min
SRQ (Sarasota/Bradenton) → LCK13190%7 min
VPS (Valparaiso) → LCK12583%11 min
MYR (Myrtle Beach) → LCK11867%21 min

Most reliable routes

  1. LCK → SRQ84%
  2. LCK → SAV81%
  3. LCK → VPS76%
  4. LCK → MYR68%
  5. LCK → PGD67%

Most delay-prone routes

  1. LCK → SFB57%
  2. LCK → PIE65%
  3. LCK → PGD67%
  4. LCK → MYR68%
  5. LCK → VPS76%

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 aircraft55%
  • Airline operations25%
  • National airspace system12%
  • Weather6%
  • Security2%

Alternative airports near Columbus

Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.

AirportDistanceOn-time departuresAvg delay
CMH — John Glenn Columbus International Airport13 mi82%14 min
DAY — James M. Cox Dayton International Airport69 mi82%19 min
HTS — Tri-State Airport / Milton J. Ferguson Field102 mi55%44 min
CVG — Cincinnati Northern Kentucky International Airport107 mi82%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?
28% of departures from Rickenbacker International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-06 and 2026-05, with an average departure delay of 28 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?
1.4% 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 2,178 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.