FlightRecord

Washington (DCA) to Grand Rapids (GRR): On-Time Performance

Data through July 2026

Delays are only half the story on DCA–GRR: 5.8% of its scheduled flights were outright cancelled, well above the US norm, so a backup plan matters more here than on most routes. When flights do go, 67% land on time, below the national average of 78%.

On-time
67%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
28 min
completed flights
Cancelled
5.8%
Flights/day
2.0
last 12 months
Duration
1h 54m
scheduled
Distance
524 mi

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DCA to GRR flights50%75%100%August 2024: 73% on-time (57 flights)73Aug 2024September 2024: 81% on-time (60 flights)81October 2024: 83% on-time (58 flights)83November 2024: 78% on-time (54 flights)78Nov 2024December 2024: 76% on-time (55 flights)76January 2025: 78% on-time (36 flights)78February 2025: 47% on-time (42 flights)47Feb 2025March 2025: 69% on-time (57 flights)69April 2025: 66% on-time (60 flights)66May 2025: 71% on-time (62 flights)71May 2025June 2025: 54% on-time (59 flights)54July 2025: 68% on-time (62 flights)68August 2025: 77% on-time (62 flights)77Aug 2025September 2025: 78% on-time (60 flights)78October 2025: 76% on-time (84 flights)76November 2025: 60% on-time (55 flights)60Nov 2025December 2025: 40% on-time (58 flights)40January 2026: 67% on-time (58 flights)67February 2026: 59% on-time (52 flights)59Feb 2026March 2026: 67% on-time (58 flights)67April 2026: 53% on-time (59 flights)53May 2026: 67% on-time (63 flights)67May 2026June 2026: 56% on-time (60 flights)56July 2026: 47% on-time (61 flights)47

Best time to fly from DCA to GRR

Aim for departures around 7 p.m. (84% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (49%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DCA to GRR9 a.m.: 62% on-time (21 flights)910 a.m.: 82% on-time (30 flights)1011 a.m.: 76% on-time (306 flights)1112 p.m.: 73% on-time (198 flights)121 p.m.: 75% on-time (171 flights)134 p.m.: 70% on-time (72 flights)165 p.m.: 62% on-time (55 flights)177 p.m.: 84% on-time (46 flights)198 p.m.: 49% on-time (88 flights)2010 p.m.: 54% on-time (439 flights)22scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday70%26 min
Tuesday65%29 min
Wednesday66%34 min
Thursday63%31 min
Friday63%31 min
Saturdaybest76%19 min
Sunday68%26 min

What causes delays on this route

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

  • Late-arriving aircraft55%
  • Airline operations31%
  • National airspace system10%
  • Weather4%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DCA to GRR delayed?
33% of DCA–GRR 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 28 minutes.
What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to GRR?
Departures around 7 p.m. have the best record (84% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (49%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DCA to GRR?
The scheduled DCA–GRR flight time averages 1h 54m over 524 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 33% of the time.
How often are DCA to GRR flights cancelled?
5.8% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07 — several times the typical US rate, so consider earlier departures or backup options.
What is the worst month to fly from DCA to GRR?
December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 40% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 83%. If your dates are flexible, that 43-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 1,449 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.