FlightRecord

Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Atlanta (ATL): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Atlanta (ATL) effectively runs on two schedules. In October 2024, 86% of arrivals were on time; in June 2025 that fell to 61% — a 24-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.

On-time
75%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
19 min
completed flights
Cancelled
2.4%
Flights/day
18
last 12 months
Duration
2h 12m
scheduled
Distance
731 mi

Best airline from DFW to ATL

5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Delta Air Linesmost reliable81%17 min2.1%5,586
Envoy Air79%12 min2.2%139
Spirit Airlines73%19 min2.5%887
American Airlines72%20 min2.8%5,338
Frontier Airlines67%24 min2.2%1,391

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DFW to ATL flights50%75%100%June 2024: 71% on-time (561 flights)71Jun 2024July 2024: 63% on-time (583 flights)63August 2024: 77% on-time (593 flights)77September 2024: 82% on-time (547 flights)82Sep 2024October 2024: 86% on-time (577 flights)86November 2024: 84% on-time (546 flights)84December 2024: 76% on-time (535 flights)76Dec 2024January 2025: 82% on-time (537 flights)82February 2025: 80% on-time (473 flights)80March 2025: 76% on-time (557 flights)76Mar 2025April 2025: 68% on-time (541 flights)68May 2025: 69% on-time (568 flights)69June 2025: 61% on-time (577 flights)61Jun 2025July 2025: 70% on-time (591 flights)70August 2025: 72% on-time (553 flights)72September 2025: 83% on-time (545 flights)83Sep 2025October 2025: 80% on-time (576 flights)80November 2025: 76% on-time (553 flights)76December 2025: 77% on-time (574 flights)77Dec 2025January 2026: 79% on-time (558 flights)79February 2026: 83% on-time (501 flights)83March 2026: 73% on-time (588 flights)73Mar 2026April 2026: 75% on-time (562 flights)75May 2026: 71% on-time (561 flights)71

Best time to fly from DFW to ATL

Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (63%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DFW to ATL5 a.m.: 88% on-time (867 flights)56 a.m.: 71% on-time (509 flights)67 a.m.: 87% on-time (1,494 flights)78 a.m.: 83% on-time (870 flights)89 a.m.: 81% on-time (892 flights)910 a.m.: 81% on-time (807 flights)1011 a.m.: 84% on-time (714 flights)1112 p.m.: 79% on-time (885 flights)121 p.m.: 79% on-time (708 flights)132 p.m.: 70% on-time (899 flights)143 p.m.: 71% on-time (327 flights)154 p.m.: 64% on-time (1,102 flights)165 p.m.: 63% on-time (638 flights)176 p.m.: 63% on-time (906 flights)187 p.m.: 68% on-time (803 flights)198 p.m.: 64% on-time (827 flights)209 p.m.: 72% on-time (102 flights)21scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday73%23 min
Tuesdaybest79%20 min
Wednesday75%18 min
Thursday76%17 min
Friday77%16 min
Saturday75%21 min
Sunday73%21 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft47%
  • Airline operations29%
  • National airspace system16%
  • Weather7%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DFW to ATL delayed?
25% of DFW–ATL 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 19 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from DFW to ATL?
Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 5,586 flights. 5 airlines flew DFW–ATL frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from DFW to ATL?
Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (63%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DFW to ATL?
The scheduled DFW–ATL flight time averages 2h 12m over 731 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
How often are DFW to ATL flights cancelled?
2.4% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
What is the worst month to fly from DFW to ATL?
June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 24-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 13,357 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.