New York (JFK) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
New York (JFK) to Houston (IAH) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 296 departures over the past year, roughly 6 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 79% arrived on time.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Flights/day
- 0.81
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 7m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,417 mi
Best airline from JFK to IAH
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 83% | 12 min | 3.8% | 263 |
| JetBlue Airways | 76% | 15 min | 0.3% | 389 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from JFK to IAH
Aim for departures around 10 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 1 p.m. departures (63%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Mondaybest | 88% | 9 min |
| Tuesday | 85% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 76% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 70% | 16 min |
| Friday | 76% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft16%
- Airline operations40%
- National airspace system34%
- Weather9%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from JFK to IAH delayed?
- 21% of JFK–IAH 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 14 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from JFK to IAH?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 263 flights. 2 airlines flew JFK–IAH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from JFK to IAH?
- Departures around 10 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 1 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 JFK to IAH?
- The scheduled JFK–IAH flight time averages 4h 7m over 1,417 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are JFK to IAH flights cancelled?
- 1.7% 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 JFK to IAH?
- January 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was June 2024 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 42-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 652 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.