Atlanta (ATL) to Cleveland (CLE): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ATL–CLE. September 2025 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 63% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.6%
- Flights/day
- 9.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 46m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 554 mi
Best airline from ATL to CLE
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 9 min | 0.0% | 232 |
| Delta Air Lines | 80% | 13 min | 1.6% | 5,201 |
| Frontier Airlines | 68% | 25 min | 2.0% | 1,099 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ATL to CLE
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (64%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 16 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 11 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 84% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 12 min |
| Friday | 77% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft37%
- Airline operations46%
- National airspace system12%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ATL to CLE delayed?
- 22% of ATL–CLE flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ATL to CLE?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 232 flights. 3 airlines flew ATL–CLE frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ATL to CLE?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (64%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ATL to CLE?
- The scheduled ATL–CLE flight time averages 1h 46m over 554 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are ATL to CLE flights cancelled?
- 1.6% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from ATL to CLE?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 63% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 6,532 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.