FlightRecord

Washington (DCA) to Portland (PWM): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Delays are only half the story on DCA–PWM: 3.6% 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, 71% land on time, below the national average of 78%. Envoy Air has been the safer pick, arriving on time 81% of the time.

On-time
71%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
21 min
completed flights
Cancelled
3.6%
Flights/day
3.1
last 12 months
Duration
1h 42m
scheduled
Distance
482 mi

Best airline from DCA to PWM

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

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Envoy Airmost reliable81%13 min0.0%62
Republic Airways74%14 min5.1%293
American Airlines72%22 min1.8%1,128
PSA Airlines68%24 min5.5%995

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DCA to PWM flights50%75%100%June 2024: 76% on-time (94 flights)76Jun 2024July 2024: 61% on-time (93 flights)61August 2024: 71% on-time (100 flights)71September 2024: 84% on-time (114 flights)84Sep 2024October 2024: 85% on-time (123 flights)85November 2024: 80% on-time (111 flights)80December 2024: 59% on-time (113 flights)59Dec 2024January 2025: 76% on-time (120 flights)76February 2025: 57% on-time (108 flights)57March 2025: 76% on-time (119 flights)76Mar 2025April 2025: 78% on-time (116 flights)78May 2025: 75% on-time (119 flights)75June 2025: 68% on-time (89 flights)68Jun 2025July 2025: 67% on-time (88 flights)67August 2025: 75% on-time (114 flights)75September 2025: 72% on-time (116 flights)72Sep 2025October 2025: 67% on-time (121 flights)67November 2025: 82% on-time (88 flights)82December 2025: 68% on-time (90 flights)68Dec 2025January 2026: 66% on-time (93 flights)66February 2026: 56% on-time (81 flights)56March 2026: 64% on-time (88 flights)64Mar 2026April 2026: 61% on-time (86 flights)61May 2026: 65% on-time (94 flights)65

Best time to fly from DCA to PWM

Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (81% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (60%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DCA to PWM8 a.m.: 75% on-time (111 flights)89 a.m.: 81% on-time (134 flights)910 a.m.: 80% on-time (492 flights)1011 a.m.: 76% on-time (188 flights)1112 p.m.: 69% on-time (154 flights)122 p.m.: 71% on-time (593 flights)143 p.m.: 65% on-time (107 flights)158 p.m.: 78% on-time (59 flights)2010 p.m.: 60% on-time (617 flights)22scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday68%24 min
Tuesday76%15 min
Wednesday71%19 min
Thursday67%30 min
Friday67%25 min
Saturdaybest79%16 min
Sunday70%20 min

What causes delays on this route

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

  • Late-arriving aircraft57%
  • Airline operations27%
  • National airspace system11%
  • Weather5%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DCA to PWM delayed?
29% of DCA–PWM 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 21 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from DCA to PWM?
Envoy Air has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 62 flights. 4 airlines flew DCA–PWM frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to PWM?
Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (81% on-time), while departures around 10 p.m. have the worst (60%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DCA to PWM?
The scheduled DCA–PWM flight time averages 1h 42m over 482 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 29% of the time.
How often are DCA to PWM flights cancelled?
3.6% 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 PWM?
February 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 85%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 2,478 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.