New York (JFK) to Tampa (TPA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly JFK to TPA matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 87% on-time in September 2025 to just 64% in August 2024. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 69%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.6%
- Flights/day
- 6.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 7m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,005 mi
Best airline from JFK to TPA
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 77% | 18 min | 2.6% | 2,187 |
| Frontier Airlines | 75% | 18 min | 0.7% | 415 |
| JetBlue Airways | 73% | 19 min | 3.0% | 2,132 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from JFK to TPA
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (61%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 19 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 14 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 82% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 71% | 20 min |
| Friday | 75% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 64% | 33 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft35%
- Airline operations35%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from JFK to TPA delayed?
- 25% of JFK–TPA 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 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from JFK to TPA?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 77%, based on 2,187 flights. 3 airlines flew JFK–TPA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from JFK to TPA?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (61%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from JFK to TPA?
- The scheduled JFK–TPA flight time averages 3h 7m over 1,005 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are JFK to TPA flights cancelled?
- 2.6% 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 TPA?
- August 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 64% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 23-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,734 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.