New York (JFK) to Minneapolis (MSP): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly JFK to MSP matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 94% on-time in September 2024 to just 65% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 82% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 68%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 82%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.3%
- Flights/day
- 2.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 17m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,029 mi
Best airline from JFK to MSP
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 83% | 9 min | 0.0% | 122 |
| Delta Air Lines | 81% | 20 min | 1.4% | 1,599 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from JFK to MSP
Aim for departures around 12 p.m. (94% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (63%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 83% | 15 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 26 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 85% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 20 min |
| Friday | 82% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 25 min |
| Sunday | 82% | 17 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft31%
- Airline operations39%
- National airspace system29%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from JFK to MSP delayed?
- 19% of JFK–MSP 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 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from JFK to MSP?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 122 flights. 2 airlines flew JFK–MSP frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from JFK to MSP?
- Departures around 12 p.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 5 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 MSP?
- The scheduled JFK–MSP flight time averages 3h 17m over 1,029 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are JFK to MSP flights cancelled?
- 1.3% 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 JFK to MSP?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from JFK
Other ways to fly to Minneapolis (MSP)
Related guides
Based on 1,723 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.