Houston (IAH) to Orlando (MCO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly IAH to MCO matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 90% on-time in September 2025 to just 52% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.6%
- Flights/day
- 9.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 28m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 854 mi
Best airline from IAH to MCO
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 15 min | 1.2% | 4,954 |
| Spirit Airlines | 79% | 17 min | 2.4% | 1,450 |
| Frontier Airlines | 68% | 31 min | 1.8% | 1,050 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAH to MCO
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (63%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 21 min |
| Tuesday | 82% | 14 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 82% | 15 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 16 min |
| Friday | 77% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 23 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 operations30%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAH to MCO delayed?
- 21% of IAH–MCO 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 MCO?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 4,954 flights. 3 airlines flew IAH–MCO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAH to MCO?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (63%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from IAH to MCO?
- The scheduled IAH–MCO flight time averages 2h 28m over 854 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are IAH to MCO flights cancelled?
- 1.6% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from IAH to MCO?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 52% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 38-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 7,504 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.