New York (JFK) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly JFK to DEN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 95% on-time in October 2024 to just 55% in July 2025. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 20 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.4%
- Flights/day
- 4.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 39m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,626 mi
Best airline from JFK to DEN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 75% | 20 min | 2.3% | 1,944 |
| JetBlue Airways | 71% | 20 min | 2.6% | 1,274 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from JFK to DEN
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (84% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (49%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 20 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 21 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 23 min |
| Friday | 73% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 70% | 22 min |
| Sunday | 68% | 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 aircraft25%
- Airline operations39%
- National airspace system34%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from JFK to DEN delayed?
- 27% of JFK–DEN 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 20 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from JFK to DEN?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 75%, based on 1,944 flights. 2 airlines flew JFK–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from JFK to DEN?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (84% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (49%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from JFK to DEN?
- The scheduled JFK–DEN flight time averages 4h 39m over 1,626 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 27% of the time.
- How often are JFK to DEN flights cancelled?
- 2.4% 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 JFK to DEN?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 40-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,267 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.