Houston (HOU) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly HOU to DEN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 90% on-time in September 2024 to just 63% in June 2026. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 72%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 6.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 34m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 883 mi
Best airline from HOU to DEN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 79% | 13 min | 0.7% | 4,875 |
| Frontier Airlines | 76% | 27 min | 4.0% | 199 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from HOU to DEN
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (64%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 14 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 13 min |
| Friday | 78% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 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 aircraft39%
- Airline operations26%
- National airspace system30%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from HOU to DEN delayed?
- 21% of HOU–DEN 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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from HOU to DEN?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 4,875 flights. 2 airlines flew HOU–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from HOU to DEN?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (64%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from HOU to DEN?
- The scheduled HOU–DEN flight time averages 2h 34m over 883 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are HOU to DEN flights cancelled?
- 0.8% 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 DEN?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 63% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,074 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.