FlightRecord

New York (LGA) to Washington (IAD): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Delays are only half the story on LGA–IAD: 5% of its scheduled flights were outright cancelled, well above the US norm, so a backup plan matters more here than on most routes. When flights do go, 78% land on time, below the national average of 78%.

On-time
78%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
18 min
completed flights
Cancelled
5.0%
Flights/day
2.7
last 12 months
Duration
1h 28m
scheduled
Distance
228 mi

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for LGA to IAD flights50%75%100%June 2024: 83% on-time (116 flights)83Jun 2024July 2024: 78% on-time (124 flights)78August 2024: 76% on-time (124 flights)76September 2024: 82% on-time (106 flights)82Sep 2024October 2024: 89% on-time (122 flights)89November 2024: 85% on-time (119 flights)85December 2024: 80% on-time (123 flights)80Dec 2024January 2025: 76% on-time (44 flights)76February 2025: 76% on-time (29 flights)76March 2025: 76% on-time (21 flights)76Mar 2025April 2025: 100% on-time (8 flights)100May 2025: 71% on-time (41 flights)71June 2025: 59% on-time (59 flights)59Jun 2025July 2025: 46% on-time (43 flights)46August 2025: 82% on-time (107 flights)82September 2025: 77% on-time (111 flights)77Sep 2025October 2025: 77% on-time (100 flights)77November 2025: 74% on-time (87 flights)74December 2025: 66% on-time (107 flights)66Dec 2025January 2026: 83% on-time (80 flights)83February 2026: 84% on-time (73 flights)84March 2026: 70% on-time (96 flights)70Mar 2026April 2026: 90% on-time (20 flights)90May 2026: 79% on-time (96 flights)79

Best time to fly from LGA to IAD

Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (64%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, LGA to IAD6 a.m.: 93% on-time (509 flights)610 a.m.: 86% on-time (348 flights)102 p.m.: 64% on-time (619 flights)147 p.m.: 74% on-time (472 flights)19scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday76%19 min
Tuesday82%12 min
Wednesday77%21 min
Thursday74%19 min
Friday73%23 min
Saturdaybest84%11 min
Sunday78%21 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft54%
  • Airline operations16%
  • National airspace system27%
  • Weather4%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from LGA to IAD delayed?
22% of LGA–IAD 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 18 minutes.
What is the best time of day to fly from LGA to IAD?
Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (64%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from LGA to IAD?
The scheduled LGA–IAD flight time averages 1h 28m over 228 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
How often are LGA to IAD flights cancelled?
5% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05 — several times the typical US rate, so consider earlier departures or backup options.
What is the worst month to fly from LGA to IAD?
July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 46% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2026 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 44-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 1,956 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.