Washington (IAD) to Atlanta (ATL): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on IAD–ATL. November 2024 flights landed on schedule 93% of the time, but June 2025 dropped to 67% — a gap of 26 points. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Flights/day
- 11
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 58m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 534 mi
Best airline from IAD to ATL
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 15 min | 0.6% | 2,341 |
| Delta Air Lines | 80% | 18 min | 2.1% | 4,383 |
| Frontier Airlines | 64% | 33 min | 2.3% | 811 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAD to ATL
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 5 a.m. departures (59%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 21 min |
| Tuesday | 82% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 20 min |
| Thursdaybest | 82% | 14 min |
| Friday | 76% | 24 min |
| Saturday | 82% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 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 aircraft40%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAD to ATL delayed?
- 21% of IAD–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 IAD to ATL?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 2,341 flights. 3 airlines flew IAD–ATL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAD to ATL?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 5 a.m. have the worst (59%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from IAD to ATL?
- The scheduled IAD–ATL flight time averages 1h 58m over 534 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are IAD to ATL flights cancelled?
- 1.7% 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 IAD to ATL?
- June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 67% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 7,591 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.