Atlanta (ATL) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ATL–DCA. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 87% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 56% — a gap of 31 points. Across the full period the route averages 71% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 59%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 71%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 22 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.7%
- Flights/day
- 19
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 48m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 547 mi
Best airline from ATL to DCA
6 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 28 min | 3.2% | 190 |
| Southwest Airlines | 75% | 18 min | 1.2% | 2,584 |
| PSA Airlines | 75% | 34 min | 6.0% | 2,060 |
| Republic Airways | 75% | 16 min | 2.7% | 920 |
| Envoy Air | 74% | 16 min | 5.7% | 314 |
| Delta Air Lines | 68% | 20 min | 2.2% | 7,636 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ATL to DCA
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (51%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 70% | 24 min |
| Tuesday | 75% | 17 min |
| Wednesday | 71% | 20 min |
| Thursday | 69% | 23 min |
| Friday | 67% | 26 min |
| Saturdaybest | 79% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 68% | 24 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft32%
- Airline operations32%
- National airspace system32%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ATL to DCA delayed?
- 29% of ATL–DCA 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 22 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ATL to DCA?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 190 flights. 6 airlines flew ATL–DCA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ATL to DCA?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (51%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ATL to DCA?
- The scheduled ATL–DCA flight time averages 1h 48m over 547 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 29% of the time.
- How often are ATL to DCA flights cancelled?
- 2.7% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from ATL to DCA?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 31-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 13,704 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.