FlightRecord

Buffalo (BUF) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance

Data through July 2026

When you fly BUF to DEN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 93% on-time in September 2024 to just 62% in June 2026. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 57%), which matters most in the rough months.

On-time
78%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
13 min
completed flights
Cancelled
0.3%
Flights/day
1.6
last 12 months
Duration
3h 38m
scheduled
Distance
1,359 mi

Best airline from BUF to DEN

3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
United Airlinesmost reliable85%12 min0.3%364
Southwest Airlines77%12 min0.2%626
Frontier Airlines67%23 min0.8%123

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for BUF to DEN flights50%75%100%August 2024: 72% on-time (54 flights)72Aug 2024September 2024: 93% on-time (44 flights)93October 2024: 90% on-time (39 flights)90November 2024: 86% on-time (28 flights)86Nov 2024December 2024: 83% on-time (18 flights)83January 2025: 75% on-time (12 flights)75February 2025: 68% on-time (19 flights)68Feb 2025March 2025: 86% on-time (29 flights)86April 2025: 70% on-time (30 flights)70May 2025: 73% on-time (44 flights)73May 2025June 2025: 90% on-time (79 flights)90July 2025: 82% on-time (83 flights)82August 2025: 82% on-time (81 flights)82Aug 2025September 2025: 75% on-time (77 flights)75October 2025: 87% on-time (70 flights)87November 2025: 79% on-time (52 flights)79Nov 2025December 2025: 63% on-time (20 flights)63January 2026: 64% on-time (14 flights)64February 2026: 69% on-time (36 flights)69Feb 2026March 2026: 73% on-time (33 flights)73April 2026: 85% on-time (33 flights)85May 2026: 78% on-time (36 flights)78May 2026June 2026: 62% on-time (65 flights)62July 2026: 67% on-time (69 flights)67

Best time to fly from BUF to DEN

Aim for departures around 11 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (47%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, BUF to DEN5 a.m.: 91% on-time (64 flights)56 a.m.: 87% on-time (60 flights)67 a.m.: 90% on-time (114 flights)78 a.m.: 86% on-time (327 flights)89 a.m.: 85% on-time (71 flights)910 a.m.: 84% on-time (71 flights)1011 a.m.: 95% on-time (40 flights)1112 p.m.: 82% on-time (44 flights)122 p.m.: 71% on-time (52 flights)143 p.m.: 58% on-time (31 flights)154 p.m.: 47% on-time (127 flights)165 p.m.: 53% on-time (47 flights)177 p.m.: 68% on-time (22 flights)19scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday76%16 min
Tuesday83%12 min
Wednesday81%14 min
Thursdaybest84%9 min
Friday76%14 min
Saturday71%17 min
Sunday82%10 min

What causes delays on this route

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

  • Late-arriving aircraft41%
  • Airline operations29%
  • National airspace system28%
  • Weather2%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from BUF to DEN delayed?
22% of BUF–DEN 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 BUF to DEN?
United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 364 flights. 3 airlines flew BUF–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from BUF to DEN?
Departures around 11 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (47%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from BUF to DEN?
The scheduled BUF–DEN flight time averages 3h 38m over 1,359 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
How often are BUF to DEN flights cancelled?
0.3% 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 BUF to DEN?
June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 1,113 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.