Houston (HOU) to Atlanta (ATL): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly HOU to ATL matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 92% on-time in September 2025 to just 66% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 70%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.5%
- Flights/day
- 7.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 1m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 696 mi
Best airline from HOU to ATL
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 83% | 17 min | 1.9% | 3,109 |
| Southwest Airlines | 77% | 13 min | 1.0% | 3,124 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from HOU to ATL
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (56%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 13 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 83% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 82% | 14 min |
| Friday | 79% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 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 operations41%
- National airspace system15%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from HOU to ATL delayed?
- 20% of HOU–ATL 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 HOU to ATL?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 3,109 flights. 2 airlines flew HOU–ATL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from HOU to ATL?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (56%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from HOU to ATL?
- The scheduled HOU–ATL flight time averages 2h 1m over 696 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are HOU to ATL flights cancelled?
- 1.5% 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 HOU to ATL?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 66% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 6,233 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.