FlightRecord

Washington (DCA) to Pittsburgh (PIT): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Delays are only half the story on DCA–PIT: 3.3% of its scheduled flights were outright cancelled, well above the US norm, so a backup plan matters more here than on most routes. When flights do go, 77% land on time, below the national average of 78%. Envoy Air has been the safer pick, arriving on time 86% of the time.

On-time
77%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
16 min
completed flights
Cancelled
3.3%
Flights/day
3.9
last 12 months
Duration
1h 13m
scheduled
Distance
204 mi

Best airline from DCA to PIT

4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Envoy Airmost reliable86%8 min2.4%295
Republic Airways79%14 min3.1%1,494
PSA Airlines75%18 min4.6%844
American Airlines69%32 min1.9%368

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DCA to PIT flights50%75%100%June 2024: 79% on-time (115 flights)79Jun 2024July 2024: 69% on-time (120 flights)69August 2024: 71% on-time (115 flights)71September 2024: 93% on-time (134 flights)93Sep 2024October 2024: 91% on-time (142 flights)91November 2024: 84% on-time (136 flights)84December 2024: 76% on-time (124 flights)76Dec 2024January 2025: 80% on-time (136 flights)80February 2025: 64% on-time (130 flights)64March 2025: 78% on-time (140 flights)78Mar 2025April 2025: 81% on-time (145 flights)81May 2025: 80% on-time (146 flights)80June 2025: 63% on-time (116 flights)63Jun 2025July 2025: 74% on-time (115 flights)74August 2025: 81% on-time (132 flights)81September 2025: 90% on-time (118 flights)90Sep 2025October 2025: 75% on-time (139 flights)75November 2025: 76% on-time (114 flights)76December 2025: 68% on-time (104 flights)68Dec 2025January 2026: 72% on-time (117 flights)72February 2026: 63% on-time (109 flights)63March 2026: 70% on-time (118 flights)70Mar 2026April 2026: 81% on-time (113 flights)81May 2026: 80% on-time (123 flights)80

Best time to fly from DCA to PIT

Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (52%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DCA to PIT6 a.m.: 92% on-time (77 flights)67 a.m.: 95% on-time (68 flights)78 a.m.: 83% on-time (505 flights)810 a.m.: 75% on-time (129 flights)1011 a.m.: 84% on-time (256 flights)1112 p.m.: 86% on-time (43 flights)121 p.m.: 82% on-time (33 flights)132 p.m.: 84% on-time (98 flights)143 p.m.: 78% on-time (335 flights)154 p.m.: 59% on-time (108 flights)165 p.m.: 65% on-time (305 flights)176 p.m.: 52% on-time (91 flights)187 p.m.: 79% on-time (306 flights)198 p.m.: 80% on-time (209 flights)209 p.m.: 83% on-time (64 flights)2110 p.m.: 71% on-time (361 flights)22scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday78%16 min
Tuesdaybest83%12 min
Wednesday75%18 min
Thursday76%18 min
Friday73%22 min
Saturday82%13 min
Sunday75%16 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft53%
  • Airline operations24%
  • National airspace system14%
  • Weather9%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DCA to PIT delayed?
23% of DCA–PIT 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 16 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from DCA to PIT?
Envoy Air has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 295 flights. 4 airlines flew DCA–PIT frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to PIT?
Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (52%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DCA to PIT?
The scheduled DCA–PIT flight time averages 1h 13m over 204 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
How often are DCA to PIT flights cancelled?
3.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05 — several times the typical US rate, so consider earlier departures or backup options.
What is the worst month to fly from DCA to PIT?
June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 63% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 3,001 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.