Washington (DCA) to New Orleans (MSY): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly DCA to MSY matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 90% on-time in October 2024 to just 61% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (81% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.6%
- Flights/day
- 5.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 53m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 969 mi
Best airline from DCA to MSY
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 82% | 9 min | 0.9% | 536 |
| Envoy Air | 77% | 13 min | 3.8% | 105 |
| American Airlines | 75% | 19 min | 2.2% | 741 |
| Southwest Airlines | 74% | 16 min | 1.4% | 1,429 |
| PSA Airlines | 71% | 22 min | 5.5% | 1,039 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to MSY
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (65%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 17 min |
| Tuesday | 79% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 68% | 18 min |
| Friday | 72% | 22 min |
| Saturdaybest | 82% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft52%
- Airline operations26%
- National airspace system17%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to MSY delayed?
- 25% of DCA–MSY 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 MSY?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 536 flights. 5 airlines flew DCA–MSY frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to MSY?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (65%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DCA to MSY?
- The scheduled DCA–MSY flight time averages 2h 53m over 969 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are DCA to MSY flights cancelled?
- 2.6% 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 MSY?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,850 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.