How often are flights delayed at XWA?

20% of departures from Williston Basin International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-06 and 2026-05, with an average departure delay of 25 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.

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

Flights scheduled around 6 a.m. depart on time 88% of the time at XWA, versus 65% around 5 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.

What is the worst month for delays at XWA?

In this dataset, December 2025 was the weakest month at XWA, with 61% of departures on time.

How often are flights cancelled at XWA?

1.3% of scheduled departures from XWA were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.

Williston Basin International Airport (XWA): Delays & On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Williston Basin International Airport (XWA) is a tale of two seasons: departures ran 92% on-time in October 2025 but sank to 61% in December 2025. Across the year it averages 80% against a national 78%, over roughly 7 departures a day to 3 destinations.

Departures on-time: 80%; left <15 min late
Avg dep delay: 25 min
Arrivals on-time: 77%
Cancelled: 1.3%
Destinations: 3; nonstop
Airlines: 1

Plan your departure from XWA

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

Best departure time: Around 6 a.m.; 88% on-time
Best day to fly: Saturday; 80% on-time
Nearest alternative: DIK — Dickinson; 110 miles away
Cancellation risk: 1.3%; below the US average

Check routes from XWA ↓Compare nearby airports ↓

Monthly on-time trend

Best time of day to depart from XWA

By day of week

Day	On-time	Avg delay
Monday	73%	30 min
Tuesday	76%	25 min
Wednesday	76%	29 min
Thursday	76%	25 min
Friday	77%	24 min
Saturdaybest	80%	23 min
Sunday	76%	31 min

Next: compare the busiest routes from XWA ↓

Busiest routes from XWA

Route	Flights/12mo	On-time	Avg delay
XWA → DEN (Denver)	1,453	75%	26 min
XWA → MSP (Minneapolis)	986	79%	28 min

Where flights into XWA come from

Route	Flights/12mo	On-time	Avg delay
DEN (Denver) → XWA	1,452	77%	19 min
MSP (Minneapolis) → XWA	986	78%	23 min

What causes delays at XWA

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

Late-arriving aircraft13%
Airline operations56%
National airspace system17%
Weather15%

Alternative airports near Williston

Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.

Airport	Distance	On-time departures	Avg delay
DIK — Dickinson Theodore Roosevelt Regional Airport	110 mi	84%	23 min
MOT — Minot International Airport	114 mi	82%	21 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 XWA?: 20% of departures from Williston Basin International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-06 and 2026-05, with an average departure delay of 25 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
What is the best time of day to depart from XWA?: Flights scheduled around 6 a.m. depart on time 88% of the time at XWA, versus 65% around 5 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
What is the worst month for delays at XWA?: In this dataset, December 2025 was the weakest month at XWA, with 61% of departures on time.
How often are flights cancelled at XWA?: 1.3% of scheduled departures from XWA were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.

Popular route pages from this airport

Related guides

Based on 4,528 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.