Houston (HOU) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on HOU–DCA. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 95% of the time, but February 2025 dropped to 44% — a gap of 51 points. Across the full period the route averages 72% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 58%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 72%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.5%
- Flights/day
- 2.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 56m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,218 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from HOU to DCA
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (53%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 70% | 18 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 76% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 70% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 70% | 18 min |
| Friday | 69% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 75% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 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 aircraft35%
- Airline operations26%
- National airspace system35%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from HOU to DCA delayed?
- 28% of HOU–DCA 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 17 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from HOU to DCA?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (53%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from HOU to DCA?
- The scheduled HOU–DCA flight time averages 2h 56m over 1,218 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are HOU to DCA 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 DCA?
- February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 44% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 51-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,188 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.