Denver (DEN) to Cleveland (CLE): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly DEN to CLE matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 88% on-time in November 2025 to just 65% in July 2025. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (85% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.3%
- Flights/day
- 5.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 55m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,201 mi
Best airline from DEN to CLE
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlinesmost reliable | 83% | 12 min | 0.7% | 554 |
| United Airlines | 82% | 13 min | 0.2% | 1,907 |
| Southwest Airlines | 65% | 21 min | 0.3% | 1,189 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to CLE
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (50%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 17 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 79% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 15 min |
| Friday | 74% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 75% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 15 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 operations31%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to CLE delayed?
- 23% of DEN–CLE 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 DEN to CLE?
- Frontier Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 554 flights. 3 airlines flew DEN–CLE frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to CLE?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (50%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DEN to CLE?
- The scheduled DEN–CLE flight time averages 2h 55m over 1,201 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are DEN to CLE flights cancelled?
- 0.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DEN to CLE?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2025 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 22-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,650 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.