Denver (DEN) to Minneapolis (MSP): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly DEN to MSP matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 89% on-time in April 2026 to just 64% 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 (86% vs 68%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 16
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 0m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 680 mi
Best airline from DEN to MSP
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 89% | 9 min | 2.3% | 260 |
| Delta Air Lines | 81% | 15 min | 0.8% | 3,779 |
| United Airlines | 78% | 15 min | 0.3% | 3,288 |
| Southwest Airlines | 74% | 15 min | 0.4% | 3,718 |
| Frontier Airlines | 72% | 19 min | 0.7% | 1,286 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to MSP
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (57%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 16 min |
| Tuesday | 79% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 16 min |
| Friday | 76% | 17 min |
| Saturdaybest | 81% | 13 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 aircraft50%
- Airline operations33%
- National airspace system15%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to MSP delayed?
- 23% of DEN–MSP 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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DEN to MSP?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 89%, based on 260 flights. 5 airlines flew DEN–MSP frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to MSP?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 10 p.m. have the worst (57%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DEN to MSP?
- The scheduled DEN–MSP flight time averages 2h 0m over 680 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are DEN to MSP flights cancelled?
- 0.6% 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 MSP?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 64% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2026 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 25-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
- Return route: MSP to DEN on-time stats
- Denver International Airport departure performance
- Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport / Wold–Chamberlain Field airport reliability
- Delta Air Lines on-time record
- Southwest Airlines on-time record
- United Airlines on-time record
- Frontier Airlines on-time record
More routes from DEN
Other ways to fly to Minneapolis (MSP)
Related guides
Based on 12,331 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.