Orlando (MCO) to New Orleans (MSY): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MCO–MSY. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 94% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 63% — a gap of 30 points. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Flights/day
- 6.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 54m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 551 mi
Best airline from MCO to MSY
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlinesmost reliable | 79% | 18 min | 2.0% | 297 |
| Spirit Airlines | 78% | 16 min | 3.0% | 1,316 |
| Southwest Airlines | 76% | 15 min | 1.1% | 3,054 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MCO to MSY
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (97% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (61%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 17 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 11 min |
| Wednesday | 83% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 16 min |
| Friday | 76% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 75% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft42%
- Airline operations29%
- National airspace system21%
- Weather8%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MCO to MSY delayed?
- 23% of MCO–MSY 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 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MCO to MSY?
- Frontier Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 297 flights. 3 airlines flew MCO–MSY frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MCO to MSY?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 10 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 MCO to MSY?
- The scheduled MCO–MSY flight time averages 1h 54m over 551 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are MCO to MSY 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 MCO to MSY?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 63% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,667 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.