Washington (DCA) to Fort Lauderdale (FLL): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DCA–FLL. April 2025 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but July 2026 dropped to 59% — a gap of 31 points. Across the full period the route averages 72% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (81% vs 57%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 72%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 22 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.0%
- Flights/day
- 6.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 41m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 899 mi
Best airline from DCA to FLL
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 16 min | 1.8% | 1,020 |
| JetBlue Airways | 70% | 26 min | 2.3% | 2,957 |
| Southwest Airlines | 70% | 19 min | 1.3% | 777 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to FLL
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (87% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (52%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 71% | 27 min |
| Tuesday | 76% | 21 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 68% | 24 min |
| Friday | 69% | 24 min |
| Saturdaybest | 78% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 66% | 27 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft50%
- Airline operations27%
- National airspace system21%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to FLL delayed?
- 28% of DCA–FLL 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 22 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DCA to FLL?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 1,020 flights. 3 airlines flew DCA–FLL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to FLL?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (87% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (52%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DCA to FLL?
- The scheduled DCA–FLL flight time averages 2h 41m over 899 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are DCA to FLL flights cancelled?
- 2% 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 DCA to FLL?
- July 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2025 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 31-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,754 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.