Denver (DEN) to New Orleans (MSY): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DEN–MSY. December 2024 flights landed on schedule 89% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 52% — a gap of 37 points. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 6.2
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 39m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,062 mi
Best airline from DEN to MSY
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 83% | 11 min | 0.9% | 2,056 |
| Frontier Airlines | 76% | 15 min | 2.3% | 396 |
| Southwest Airlines | 70% | 18 min | 0.8% | 2,264 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to MSY
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (54%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 78% | 15 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 78% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 16 min |
| Friday | 75% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 74% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 13 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft52%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system17%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to MSY delayed?
- 24% of DEN–MSY 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 MSY?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 2,056 flights. 3 airlines flew DEN–MSY frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to MSY?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (54%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DEN to MSY?
- The scheduled DEN–MSY flight time averages 2h 39m over 1,062 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are DEN to MSY flights cancelled?
- 0.9% 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 MSY?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 52% of arrivals on time. The best was December 2024 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 37-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,716 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.