FlightRecord

Washington (DCA) to Syracuse (SYR): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Washington (DCA) to Syracuse (SYR) has an unusually high scrub rate — 5% of scheduled departures never left the gate, a cancellation rate several times the national figure. When flights do go, 71% land on time, below the national average of 78%. American Airlines has been the safer pick, arriving on time 78% of the time.

On-time
71%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
21 min
completed flights
Cancelled
5.0%
Flights/day
2.8
last 12 months
Duration
1h 24m
scheduled
Distance
298 mi

Best airline from DCA to SYR

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

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
American Airlinesmost reliable78%16 min2.0%395
Republic Airways75%16 min4.1%488
Envoy Air67%26 min7.5%160
PSA Airlines66%24 min6.0%1,158

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DCA to SYR flights50%75%100%June 2024: 86% on-time (100 flights)86Jun 2024July 2024: 73% on-time (88 flights)73August 2024: 68% on-time (88 flights)68September 2024: 89% on-time (90 flights)89Sep 2024October 2024: 89% on-time (92 flights)89November 2024: 82% on-time (87 flights)82December 2024: 68% on-time (85 flights)68Dec 2024January 2025: 67% on-time (110 flights)67February 2025: 49% on-time (105 flights)49March 2025: 60% on-time (119 flights)60Mar 2025April 2025: 66% on-time (116 flights)66May 2025: 74% on-time (92 flights)74June 2025: 74% on-time (86 flights)74Jun 2025July 2025: 53% on-time (88 flights)53August 2025: 74% on-time (92 flights)74September 2025: 77% on-time (86 flights)77Sep 2025October 2025: 64% on-time (88 flights)64November 2025: 70% on-time (85 flights)70December 2025: 64% on-time (73 flights)64Dec 2025January 2026: 62% on-time (83 flights)62February 2026: 57% on-time (80 flights)57March 2026: 72% on-time (88 flights)72Mar 2026April 2026: 74% on-time (89 flights)74May 2026: 78% on-time (91 flights)78

Best time to fly from DCA to SYR

Aim for departures around 11 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (56%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DCA to SYR9 a.m.: 81% on-time (198 flights)910 a.m.: 81% on-time (490 flights)1011 a.m.: 91% on-time (55 flights)1112 p.m.: 61% on-time (116 flights)122 p.m.: 56% on-time (49 flights)143 p.m.: 63% on-time (636 flights)158 p.m.: 91% on-time (42 flights)2010 p.m.: 66% on-time (599 flights)22scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday67%21 min
Tuesday75%21 min
Wednesday68%22 min
Thursday68%28 min
Friday65%23 min
Saturdaybest83%10 min
Sunday71%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 aircraft60%
  • Airline operations24%
  • National airspace system12%
  • Weather4%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DCA to SYR delayed?
30% of DCA–SYR 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 SYR?
American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 395 flights. 4 airlines flew DCA–SYR frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to SYR?
Departures around 11 a.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (56%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DCA to SYR?
The scheduled DCA–SYR flight time averages 1h 24m over 298 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 30% of the time.
How often are DCA to SYR flights cancelled?
5% 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 SYR?
February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 49% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 40-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 2,201 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.