Houston (IAH) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on IAH–DCA. January 2025 flights landed on schedule 87% of the time, but February 2025 dropped to 57% — a gap of 30 points. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.9%
- Flights/day
- 8.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 3m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,208 mi
Best airline from IAH to DCA
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 76% | 17 min | 1.4% | 4,586 |
| Republic Airways | 76% | 16 min | 4.9% | 513 |
| PSA Airlines | 68% | 24 min | 3.6% | 194 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAH to DCA
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (59%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 18 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 74% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 17 min |
| Friday | 73% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft38%
- Airline operations22%
- National airspace system33%
- Weather8%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAH to DCA delayed?
- 25% of IAH–DCA 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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from IAH to DCA?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 76%, based on 4,586 flights. 3 airlines flew IAH–DCA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAH to DCA?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 5 p.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 IAH to DCA?
- The scheduled IAH–DCA flight time averages 3h 3m over 1,208 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are IAH to DCA flights cancelled?
- 1.9% 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 IAH to DCA?
- February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 5,297 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.