Washington (DCA) to St. Louis (STL): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DCA–STL. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 88% of the time, but July 2026 dropped to 59% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 74%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 20 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.6%
- Flights/day
- 6.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 23m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 719 mi
Best airline from DCA to STL
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 81% | 11 min | 4.6% | 323 |
| Southwest Airlines | 77% | 17 min | 1.4% | 2,908 |
| American Airlines | 71% | 26 min | 1.9% | 516 |
| PSA Airlines | 68% | 27 min | 5.6% | 1,104 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to STL
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (86% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (55%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 21 min |
| Tuesday | 79% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 76% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 19 min |
| Friday | 70% | 21 min |
| Saturdaybest | 80% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 69% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft54%
- Airline operations29%
- National airspace system12%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to STL delayed?
- 26% of DCA–STL 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 20 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DCA to STL?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 323 flights. 4 airlines flew DCA–STL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to STL?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (55%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DCA to STL?
- The scheduled DCA–STL flight time averages 2h 23m over 719 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are DCA to STL flights cancelled?
- 2.6% 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 STL?
- July 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,872 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.