FlightRecord

Washington (DCA) to Knoxville (TYS): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Delays are only half the story on DCA–TYS: 3.9% 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, 69% land on time, below the national average of 78%. Republic Airways has been the safer pick, arriving on time 85% of the time.

On-time
69%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
28 min
completed flights
Cancelled
3.9%
Flights/day
2.8
last 12 months
Duration
1h 48m
scheduled
Distance
437 mi

Best airline from DCA to TYS

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

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Republic Airwaysmost reliable85%10 min3.4%117
Envoy Air83%14 min1.2%168
PSA Airlines67%31 min4.2%1,802

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DCA to TYS flights50%75%100%June 2024: 68% on-time (85 flights)68Jun 2024July 2024: 67% on-time (89 flights)67August 2024: 70% on-time (88 flights)70September 2024: 84% on-time (86 flights)84Sep 2024October 2024: 82% on-time (89 flights)82November 2024: 86% on-time (107 flights)86December 2024: 67% on-time (80 flights)67Dec 2024January 2025: 55% on-time (84 flights)55February 2025: 48% on-time (82 flights)48March 2025: 68% on-time (93 flights)68Mar 2025April 2025: 72% on-time (89 flights)72May 2025: 71% on-time (93 flights)71June 2025: 59% on-time (89 flights)59Jun 2025July 2025: 57% on-time (92 flights)57August 2025: 77% on-time (89 flights)77September 2025: 80% on-time (86 flights)80Sep 2025October 2025: 69% on-time (89 flights)69November 2025: 68% on-time (84 flights)68December 2025: 49% on-time (63 flights)49Dec 2025January 2026: 71% on-time (79 flights)71February 2026: 73% on-time (80 flights)73March 2026: 59% on-time (89 flights)59Mar 2026April 2026: 74% on-time (89 flights)74May 2026: 68% on-time (93 flights)68

Best time to fly from DCA to TYS

Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (45%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DCA to TYS7 a.m.: 90% on-time (31 flights)78 a.m.: 85% on-time (498 flights)89 a.m.: 80% on-time (165 flights)91 p.m.: 65% on-time (199 flights)132 p.m.: 70% on-time (230 flights)143 p.m.: 56% on-time (117 flights)154 p.m.: 49% on-time (91 flights)165 p.m.: 64% on-time (143 flights)177 p.m.: 62% on-time (507 flights)198 p.m.: 45% on-time (106 flights)20scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday67%35 min
Tuesday70%26 min
Wednesday70%26 min
Thursday66%36 min
Friday66%29 min
Saturdaybest77%18 min
Sunday69%27 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 operations22%
  • National airspace system14%
  • Weather8%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DCA to TYS delayed?
31% of DCA–TYS 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 28 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from DCA to TYS?
Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 117 flights. 3 airlines flew DCA–TYS frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to TYS?
Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (45%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DCA to TYS?
The scheduled DCA–TYS flight time averages 1h 48m over 437 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 31% of the time.
How often are DCA to TYS flights cancelled?
3.9% 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 TYS?
February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 48% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 38-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 2,087 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.