Houston (IAH) to Atlanta (ATL): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on IAH–ATL. September 2025 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 58% — a gap of 33 points. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 67%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.2%
- Flights/day
- 13
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 8m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 689 mi
Best airline from IAH to ATL
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 87% | 10 min | 0.0% | 119 |
| Delta Air Lines | 81% | 16 min | 2.1% | 5,053 |
| United Airlines | 78% | 16 min | 1.2% | 2,244 |
| Spirit Airlines | 73% | 17 min | 3.5% | 1,054 |
| Frontier Airlines | 59% | 33 min | 3.1% | 1,379 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAH to ATL
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (56%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 20 min |
| Tuesday | 79% | 16 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 81% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 18 min |
| Friday | 76% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 22 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft42%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system24%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAH to ATL delayed?
- 24% of IAH–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 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from IAH to ATL?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 119 flights. 5 airlines flew IAH–ATL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAH to ATL?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 9 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 IAH to ATL?
- The scheduled IAH–ATL flight time averages 2h 8m over 689 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are IAH to ATL flights cancelled?
- 2.2% 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 IAH to ATL?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 58% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 33-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 9,849 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.