Denver (DEN) to Raleigh/Durham (RDU): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly DEN to RDU matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 87% on-time in January 2026 to just 61% in July 2025. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 4.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 20m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,436 mi
Best airline from DEN to RDU
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlinesmost reliable | 80% | 12 min | 0.9% | 647 |
| United Airlines | 80% | 13 min | 0.5% | 1,654 |
| Southwest Airlines | 67% | 21 min | 0.5% | 1,466 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to RDU
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (49%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 71% | 17 min |
| Tuesday | 77% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 74% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 16 min |
| Friday | 72% | 19 min |
| Saturdaybest | 79% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 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 aircraft50%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to RDU delayed?
- 26% of DEN–RDU 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 RDU?
- Frontier Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 647 flights. 3 airlines flew DEN–RDU frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to RDU?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (49%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DEN to RDU?
- The scheduled DEN–RDU flight time averages 3h 20m over 1,436 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are DEN to RDU 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 RDU?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2026 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,767 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.