Washington (DCA) to Orlando (MCO): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly DCA to MCO matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 91% on-time in November 2024 to just 63% in May 2025. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 20 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.1%
- Flights/day
- 13
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 28m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 759 mi
Best airline from DCA to MCO
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 20 min | 2.5% | 3,654 |
| Delta Air Lines | 76% | 22 min | 3.0% | 1,355 |
| Southwest Airlines | 76% | 18 min | 1.3% | 2,193 |
| JetBlue Airways | 75% | 23 min | 2.0% | 2,098 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to MCO
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (57%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 18 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 25 min |
| Friday | 74% | 24 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 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 aircraft44%
- Airline operations29%
- National airspace system24%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to MCO delayed?
- 24% of DCA–MCO 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 20 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DCA to MCO?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 3,654 flights. 4 airlines flew DCA–MCO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to MCO?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (57%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DCA to MCO?
- The scheduled DCA–MCO flight time averages 2h 28m over 759 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are DCA to MCO flights cancelled?
- 2.1% 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 MCO?
- May 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 63% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 9,315 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.