Washington (DCA) to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach (PBI): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DCA–PBI. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 88% of the time, but May 2025 dropped to 65% — a gap of 23 points. 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 60%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.9%
- Flights/day
- 4.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 37m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 857 mi
Best airline from DCA to PBI
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 86% | 6 min | 2.0% | 196 |
| American Airlines | 77% | 18 min | 1.7% | 1,888 |
| JetBlue Airways | 70% | 23 min | 2.0% | 1,487 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to PBI
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (59%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 25 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 68% | 23 min |
| Friday | 74% | 23 min |
| Saturdaybest | 81% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 21 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft50%
- Airline operations25%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to PBI delayed?
- 25% of DCA–PBI 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 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DCA to PBI?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 196 flights. 3 airlines flew DCA–PBI frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to PBI?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (59%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DCA to PBI?
- The scheduled DCA–PBI flight time averages 2h 37m over 857 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are DCA to PBI flights cancelled?
- 1.9% 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 PBI?
- May 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 23-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from DCA
Other ways to fly to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach (PBI)
Related guides
Based on 3,604 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.