FlightRecord

Atlanta (ATL) to New York (JFK): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Atlanta (ATL) to New York (JFK) effectively runs on two schedules. In October 2024, 87% of arrivals were on time; in June 2025 that fell to 59% — a 28-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.

On-time
75%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
22 min
completed flights
Cancelled
1.8%
Flights/day
12
last 12 months
Duration
2h 23m
scheduled
Distance
760 mi

Best airline from ATL to JFK

3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Delta Air Linesmost reliable77%18 min1.1%4,894
JetBlue Airways72%27 min3.2%2,168
Frontier Airlines67%28 min2.4%1,085

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for ATL to JFK flights50%75%100%June 2024: 76% on-time (285 flights)76Jun 2024July 2024: 61% on-time (279 flights)61August 2024: 74% on-time (302 flights)74September 2024: 85% on-time (324 flights)85Sep 2024October 2024: 87% on-time (343 flights)87November 2024: 80% on-time (355 flights)80December 2024: 69% on-time (361 flights)69Dec 2024January 2025: 74% on-time (311 flights)74February 2025: 75% on-time (292 flights)75March 2025: 75% on-time (293 flights)75Mar 2025April 2025: 81% on-time (327 flights)81May 2025: 66% on-time (391 flights)66June 2025: 59% on-time (363 flights)59Jun 2025July 2025: 61% on-time (371 flights)61August 2025: 79% on-time (376 flights)79September 2025: 85% on-time (387 flights)85Sep 2025October 2025: 80% on-time (400 flights)80November 2025: 78% on-time (394 flights)78December 2025: 62% on-time (394 flights)62Dec 2025January 2026: 74% on-time (349 flights)74February 2026: 78% on-time (306 flights)78March 2026: 72% on-time (308 flights)72Mar 2026April 2026: 80% on-time (315 flights)80May 2026: 77% on-time (321 flights)77

Best time to fly from ATL to JFK

Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (51%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, ATL to JFK5 a.m.: 80% on-time (263 flights)56 a.m.: 81% on-time (423 flights)67 a.m.: 86% on-time (1,042 flights)78 a.m.: 90% on-time (340 flights)89 a.m.: 80% on-time (767 flights)910 a.m.: 78% on-time (414 flights)1011 a.m.: 77% on-time (348 flights)1112 p.m.: 76% on-time (696 flights)121 p.m.: 84% on-time (152 flights)132 p.m.: 78% on-time (23 flights)143 p.m.: 71% on-time (652 flights)154 p.m.: 67% on-time (484 flights)165 p.m.: 64% on-time (324 flights)176 p.m.: 73% on-time (348 flights)187 p.m.: 65% on-time (613 flights)198 p.m.: 51% on-time (152 flights)209 p.m.: 69% on-time (278 flights)2110 p.m.: 62% on-time (828 flights)22scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday75%25 min
Tuesday77%20 min
Wednesdaybest80%14 min
Thursday74%19 min
Friday74%23 min
Saturday73%24 min
Sunday69%26 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft29%
  • Airline operations40%
  • National airspace system25%
  • Weather5%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from ATL to JFK delayed?
26% of ATL–JFK 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 JFK?
Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 77%, based on 4,894 flights. 3 airlines flew ATL–JFK frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from ATL to JFK?
Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 8 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 JFK?
The scheduled ATL–JFK flight time averages 2h 23m over 760 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
How often are ATL to JFK flights cancelled?
1.8% 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 JFK?
June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 8,147 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.