Denver (DEN) to Portland (PDX): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DEN–PDX. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 86% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 64% — a gap of 23 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 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 12
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 45m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 991 mi
Best airline from DEN to PDX
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 13 min | 0.6% | 3,638 |
| Alaska Airlines | 79% | 14 min | 1.1% | 1,049 |
| Frontier Airlines | 78% | 13 min | 0.9% | 849 |
| Southwest Airlines | 67% | 18 min | 0.3% | 3,237 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to PDX
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (59%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 13 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 78% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 16 min |
| Friday | 75% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 16 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 system13%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to PDX delayed?
- 25% of DEN–PDX 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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DEN to PDX?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 3,638 flights. 4 airlines flew DEN–PDX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to PDX?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (59%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DEN to PDX?
- The scheduled DEN–PDX flight time averages 2h 45m over 991 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are DEN to PDX flights cancelled?
- 0.6% 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 PDX?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 64% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 23-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 8,790 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.