Washington (DCA) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DCA–DEN. December 2024 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but February 2025 dropped to 57% — a gap of 33 points. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 21 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 3.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 7m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,476 mi
Best airline from DCA to DEN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 20 min | 1.2% | 2,146 |
| United Airlines | 75% | 23 min | 0.4% | 760 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to DEN
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (87% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (63%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 25 min |
| Tuesday | 78% | 19 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 21 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 22 min |
| Friday | 73% | 26 min |
| Saturdaybest | 83% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft38%
- Airline operations24%
- National airspace system29%
- Weather10%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to DEN delayed?
- 23% of DCA–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 21 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DCA to DEN?
- Frontier Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 2,146 flights. 2 airlines flew DCA–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to DEN?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (87% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (63%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DCA to DEN?
- The scheduled DCA–DEN flight time averages 4h 7m over 1,476 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are DCA to DEN flights cancelled?
- 1% 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 DCA to DEN?
- February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was December 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 33-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,906 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.