Denver (DEN) to Tampa (TPA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly DEN to TPA matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 90% on-time in November 2025 to just 58% 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 (84% vs 68%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 8.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 29m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,506 mi
Best airline from DEN to TPA
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 12 min | 0.9% | 2,438 |
| Frontier Airlines | 74% | 19 min | 1.5% | 1,186 |
| Southwest Airlines | 71% | 18 min | 0.8% | 2,612 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to TPA
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (50%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 18 min |
| Tuesday | 76% | 15 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 78% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 15 min |
| Friday | 75% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 73% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 17 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft40%
- Airline operations35%
- National airspace system23%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to TPA delayed?
- 25% of DEN–TPA 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 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DEN to TPA?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 2,438 flights. 3 airlines flew DEN–TPA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to TPA?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 8 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 TPA?
- The scheduled DEN–TPA flight time averages 3h 29m over 1,506 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are DEN to TPA flights cancelled?
- 1% 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 TPA?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 58% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2025 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 6,236 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.