Washington (IAD) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly IAD to DFW matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 94% on-time in October 2024 to just 60% in May 2025. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (85% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 22 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Flights/day
- 5.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 30m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,172 mi
Best airline from IAD to DFW
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 80% | 17 min | 0.7% | 1,976 |
| Frontier Airlines | 78% | 36 min | 3.3% | 211 |
| American Airlines | 75% | 26 min | 2.6% | 1,718 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAD to DFW
Aim for departures around 10 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (51%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 20 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 80% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 77% | 28 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 20 min |
| Friday | 79% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 73% | 29 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 25 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft37%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAD to DFW delayed?
- 23% of IAD–DFW 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 22 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from IAD to DFW?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 1,976 flights. 3 airlines flew IAD–DFW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAD to DFW?
- Departures around 10 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (51%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from IAD to DFW?
- The scheduled IAD–DFW flight time averages 3h 30m over 1,172 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are IAD to DFW flights cancelled?
- 1.7% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from IAD to DFW?
- May 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 34-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,914 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.