Charlotte (CLT) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly CLT to DCA matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 84% on-time in October 2024 to just 51% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 68% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (80% vs 62%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 68%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 25 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.3%
- Flights/day
- 7.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 28m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 331 mi
Best airline from CLT to DCA
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PSA Airlinesmost reliable | 70% | 27 min | 1.2% | 997 |
| American Airlines | 68% | 24 min | 2.6% | 5,282 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from CLT to DCA
Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (83% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (53%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 64% | 28 min |
| Tuesday | 73% | 19 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 65% | 27 min |
| Friday | 63% | 31 min |
| Saturdaybest | 76% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 64% | 29 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft37%
- Airline operations22%
- National airspace system28%
- Weather13%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from CLT to DCA delayed?
- 32% of CLT–DCA 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 25 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from CLT to DCA?
- PSA Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 70%, based on 997 flights. 2 airlines flew CLT–DCA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from CLT to DCA?
- Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (83% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (53%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from CLT to DCA?
- The scheduled CLT–DCA flight time averages 1h 28m over 331 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 32% of the time.
- How often are CLT to DCA flights cancelled?
- 2.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from CLT to DCA?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 51% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 84%. If your dates are flexible, that 33-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 6,279 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.