Washington (DCA) to Nashville (BNA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly DCA to BNA matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 91% on-time in October 2024 to just 55% in February 2025. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.7%
- Flights/day
- 12
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 3m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 562 mi
Best airline from DCA to BNA
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 83% | 11 min | 1.6% | 3,476 |
| Southwest Airlines | 79% | 15 min | 1.6% | 3,031 |
| Envoy Air | 75% | 17 min | 0.7% | 143 |
| American Airlines | 64% | 30 min | 4.4% | 431 |
| PSA Airlines | 62% | 32 min | 7.4% | 1,448 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to BNA
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 18 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 15 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 21 min |
| Friday | 72% | 21 min |
| Saturdaybest | 84% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 17 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft52%
- Airline operations24%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to BNA delayed?
- 23% of DCA–BNA 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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DCA to BNA?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 3,476 flights. 5 airlines flew DCA–BNA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to BNA?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 5 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 DCA to BNA?
- The scheduled DCA–BNA flight time averages 2h 3m over 562 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are DCA to BNA flights cancelled?
- 2.7% 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 DCA to BNA?
- February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 36-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 8,529 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.