Washington (DCA) to Houston (HOU): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly DCA to HOU matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 92% on-time in February 2026 to just 57% in July 2026. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (91% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.1%
- Flights/day
- 2.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 27m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,218 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to HOU
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (60%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 80% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 12 min |
| Friday | 74% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 23 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 operations27%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to HOU delayed?
- 23% of DCA–HOU 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 15 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to HOU?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (60%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DCA to HOU?
- The scheduled DCA–HOU flight time averages 3h 27m over 1,218 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are DCA to HOU flights cancelled?
- 2.1% 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 HOU?
- July 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2026 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 36-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from DCA
Other ways to fly to Houston (HOU)
Related guides
Based on 2,189 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.