FlightRecord

Washington (DCA) to Panama City (ECP): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Washington (DCA) to Panama City (ECP) has an unusually high scrub rate — 3.3% of scheduled departures never left the gate, a cancellation rate several times the national figure. When flights do go, 76% land on time, below the national average of 78%. PSA Airlines has been the safer pick, arriving on time 79% of the time.

On-time
76%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
17 min
completed flights
Cancelled
3.3%
Flights/day
1.0
last 12 months
Duration
2h 28m
scheduled
Distance
769 mi

Best airline from DCA to ECP

3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
PSA Airlinesmost reliable79%17 min4.4%406
Republic Airways77%13 min1.4%141
Envoy Air65%24 min1.2%86

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DCA to ECP flights50%75%100%June 2024: 61% on-time (34 flights)61Jun 2024July 2024: 60% on-time (35 flights)60August 2024: 80% on-time (36 flights)80September 2024: 83% on-time (30 flights)83Sep 2024October 2024: 94% on-time (31 flights)94November 2024: 100% on-time (4 flights)100February 2025: 100% on-time (2 flights)100Feb 2025March 2025: 85% on-time (27 flights)85April 2025: 93% on-time (30 flights)93May 2025: 61% on-time (31 flights)61May 2025June 2025: 68% on-time (34 flights)68July 2025: 78% on-time (35 flights)78August 2025: 81% on-time (32 flights)81Aug 2025September 2025: 73% on-time (30 flights)73October 2025: 90% on-time (31 flights)90November 2025: 76% on-time (29 flights)76Nov 2025December 2025: 68% on-time (30 flights)68January 2026: 79% on-time (31 flights)79February 2026: 73% on-time (28 flights)73Feb 2026March 2026: 69% on-time (31 flights)69April 2026: 69% on-time (33 flights)69May 2026: 81% on-time (38 flights)81May 2026

Best time to fly from DCA to ECP

Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (85% on-time); avoid 1 p.m. departures (67%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DCA to ECP8 a.m.: 85% on-time (202 flights)810 a.m.: 76% on-time (86 flights)1011 a.m.: 72% on-time (213 flights)1112 p.m.: 80% on-time (50 flights)121 p.m.: 67% on-time (69 flights)13scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday71%23 min
Tuesday75%25 min
Wednesdaybest84%10 min
Thursday71%21 min
Friday73%16 min
Saturday77%13 min
Sunday82%15 min

What causes delays on this route

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

  • Late-arriving aircraft51%
  • Airline operations20%
  • National airspace system22%
  • Weather7%
  • Security1%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DCA to ECP delayed?
24% of DCA–ECP 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 ECP?
PSA Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 406 flights. 3 airlines flew DCA–ECP frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to ECP?
Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (85% on-time), while departures around 1 p.m. have the worst (67%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DCA to ECP?
The scheduled DCA–ECP flight time averages 2h 28m over 769 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
How often are DCA to ECP flights cancelled?
3.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05 — several times the typical US rate, so consider earlier departures or backup options.
What is the worst month to fly from DCA to ECP?
July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 34-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 642 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.