Baltimore (BWI) to New Orleans (MSY): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly BWI to MSY matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 93% on-time in November 2024 to just 49% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.4%
- Flights/day
- 3.2
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 50m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 998 mi
Best airline from BWI to MSY
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 79% | 20 min | 1.2% | 401 |
| Southwest Airlines | 75% | 15 min | 1.4% | 2,138 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from BWI to MSY
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (99% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 17 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 79% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 16 min |
| Friday | 71% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 20 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft39%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from BWI to MSY delayed?
- 24% of BWI–MSY 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 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from BWI to MSY?
- Spirit Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 401 flights. 2 airlines flew BWI–MSY frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from BWI to MSY?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (99% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (58%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from BWI to MSY?
- The scheduled BWI–MSY flight time averages 2h 50m over 998 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are BWI to MSY flights cancelled?
- 1.4% 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 BWI to MSY?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 49% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 44-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from BWI
Other ways to fly to New Orleans (MSY)
Related guides
Based on 2,557 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.