Atlanta (ATL) to Houston (HOU): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly ATL to HOU matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 90% on-time in November 2024 to just 61% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 70%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.3%
- Flights/day
- 7.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 12m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 696 mi
Best airline from ATL to HOU
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 80% | 12 min | 0.9% | 3,147 |
| Delta Air Lines | 80% | 13 min | 1.7% | 3,109 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ATL to HOU
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (61%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 12 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 12 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 83% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 12 min |
| Friday | 78% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 15 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft36%
- Airline operations42%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ATL to HOU delayed?
- 20% of ATL–HOU flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ATL to HOU?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 3,147 flights. 2 airlines flew ATL–HOU frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ATL to HOU?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (61%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ATL to HOU?
- The scheduled ATL–HOU flight time averages 2h 12m over 696 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are ATL to HOU flights cancelled?
- 1.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from ATL to HOU?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 6,256 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.