Denver (DEN) to Houston (HOU): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DEN–HOU. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 53% — a gap of 38 points. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 58%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 74%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 6.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 27m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 883 mi
Best airline from DEN to HOU
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlinesmost reliable | 76% | 18 min | 2.0% | 199 |
| Southwest Airlines | 74% | 15 min | 0.7% | 4,899 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to HOU
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (50%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 77% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 17 min |
| Friday | 71% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 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 aircraft49%
- Airline operations34%
- National airspace system16%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to HOU delayed?
- 26% of DEN–HOU 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 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DEN to HOU?
- Frontier Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 76%, based on 199 flights. 2 airlines flew DEN–HOU frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to HOU?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (93% 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 HOU?
- The scheduled DEN–HOU flight time averages 2h 27m over 883 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are DEN to HOU flights cancelled?
- 0.7% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DEN to HOU?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 53% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 38-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,098 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.