Orlando (MCO) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly MCO to DCA matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 91% on-time in October 2024 to just 54% in July 2025. Across the full period the route averages 70% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (85% vs 58%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 70%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 25 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.2%
- Flights/day
- 13
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 16m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 759 mi
Best airline from MCO to DCA
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 72% | 25 min | 3.3% | 1,415 |
| American Airlines | 71% | 29 min | 2.4% | 3,805 |
| Southwest Airlines | 69% | 20 min | 1.4% | 2,287 |
| JetBlue Airways | 68% | 25 min | 2.0% | 2,151 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MCO to DCA
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (48%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 66% | 24 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 76% | 23 min |
| Wednesday | 74% | 21 min |
| Thursday | 67% | 26 min |
| Friday | 66% | 32 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 66% | 32 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft44%
- Airline operations23%
- National airspace system26%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MCO to DCA delayed?
- 30% of MCO–DCA 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 25 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MCO to DCA?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 72%, based on 1,415 flights. 4 airlines flew MCO–DCA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MCO to DCA?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (48%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MCO to DCA?
- The scheduled MCO–DCA flight time averages 2h 16m over 759 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 30% of the time.
- How often are MCO to DCA flights cancelled?
- 2.2% 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 MCO to DCA?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 54% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 37-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 9,674 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.