Houston (IAH) to Cincinnati (CVG): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly IAH to CVG matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 96% on-time in January 2026 to just 44% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 68%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 74%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.5%
- Flights/day
- 1.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 27m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 871 mi
Best airline from IAH to CVG
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 74% | 17 min | 1.2% | 1,059 |
| Frontier Airlines | 69% | 28 min | 3.2% | 154 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAH to CVG
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (97% on-time); avoid 9 a.m. departures (67%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 69% | 19 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 22 min |
| Friday | 68% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 75% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft62%
- Airline operations23%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAH to CVG delayed?
- 26% of IAH–CVG 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 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from IAH to CVG?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 74%, based on 1,059 flights. 2 airlines flew IAH–CVG frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAH to CVG?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 9 a.m. have the worst (67%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from IAH to CVG?
- The scheduled IAH–CVG flight time averages 2h 27m over 871 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are IAH to CVG flights cancelled?
- 1.5% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from IAH to CVG?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 44% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2026 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 52-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 1,233 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.