Tampa International Airport (TPA): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Tampa International Airport (TPA) is a tale of two seasons: departures ran 87% on-time in November 2024 but sank to 67% in July 2024. Across the year it averages 78% against a national 78%, over roughly 210 departures a day to 63 destinations.
- Departures on-time
- 78%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 17 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 76%
- Cancelled
- 2.0%
- Destinations
- 63
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 12
Plan your departure from TPA
The choices most likely to improve your odds, based on this airport’s historical record.
- Best departure time
- Around 5 a.m.
- 94% on-time
- Best day to fly
- Tuesday
- 83% on-time
- Cancellation risk
- 2.0%
- above the US average
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from TPA
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 20 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 82% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 17 min |
| Friday | 78% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 23 min |
Busiest routes from TPA
Where flights into TPA come from
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATL (Atlanta) → TPA | 6,141 | 72% | 20 min |
| ORD (Chicago) → TPA | 3,203 | 76% | 19 min |
| CLT (Charlotte) → TPA | 3,106 | 75% | 18 min |
| DEN (Denver) → TPA | 3,087 | 75% | 16 min |
| MIA (Miami) → TPA | 2,937 | 72% | 23 min |
| DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) → TPA | 2,907 | 69% | 22 min |
| LGA (New York) → TPA | 2,795 | 71% | 24 min |
| BOS (Boston) → TPA | 2,791 | 73% | 20 min |
What causes delays at TPA
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing TPA.
- Late-arriving aircraft47%
- Airline operations26%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather5%
Alternative airports near Tampa
Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.
| Airport | Distance | On-time departures | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| PIE — St. Petersburg Clearwater International Airport | 10 mi | 78% | 17 min |
| SRQ — Sarasota Bradenton International Airport | 40 mi | 81% | 18 min |
| PGD — Punta Gorda Airport | 80 mi | 79% | 17 min |
| MCO — Orlando International Airport | 81 mi | 75% | 19 min |
| SFB — Orlando Sanford International Airport | 96 mi | 72% | 23 min |
Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.
Airline performance at TPA
| Airline | On-time departures | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 84% | 14 min | 18,137 |
| Spirit Airlines | 80% | 16 min | 8,185 |
| Delta Air Lines | 79% | 17 min | 28,312 |
| American Airlines | 78% | 21 min | 28,247 |
| Frontier Airlines | 76% | 21 min | 14,256 |
| Southwest Airlines | 76% | 15 min | 49,196 |
| Envoy Air | 76% | 19 min | 2,545 |
| JetBlue Airways | 75% | 20 min | 10,975 |
| Alaska Airlines | 73% | 16 min | 2,114 |
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at TPA?
- 22% of departures from Tampa International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-07 and 2026-07, with an average departure delay of 17 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
- What is the best time of day to depart from TPA?
- Flights scheduled around 5 a.m. depart on time 94% of the time at TPA, versus 55% around 9 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at TPA?
- In this dataset, July 2024 was the weakest month at TPA, with 67% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at TPA?
- 2% of scheduled departures from TPA were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Related guides
Based on 162,080 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.