Washington (DCA) to Kansas City (MCI): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DCA–MCI. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but February 2025 dropped to 51% — a gap of 41 points. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.9%
- Flights/day
- 5.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 51m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 949 mi
Best airline from DCA to MCI
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 82% | 11 min | 1.6% | 549 |
| Southwest Airlines | 77% | 16 min | 1.5% | 1,996 |
| Envoy Air | 70% | 20 min | 6.3% | 190 |
| PSA Airlines | 66% | 26 min | 6.1% | 912 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to MCI
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (48%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 19 min |
| Tuesday | 79% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 76% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 17 min |
| Friday | 70% | 22 min |
| Saturdaybest | 82% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 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 aircraft54%
- Airline operations25%
- National airspace system16%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to MCI delayed?
- 25% of DCA–MCI 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 MCI?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 549 flights. 4 airlines flew DCA–MCI frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to MCI?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (48%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DCA to MCI?
- The scheduled DCA–MCI flight time averages 2h 51m over 949 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are DCA to MCI flights cancelled?
- 2.9% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DCA to MCI?
- February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 51% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 41-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,699 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.