Memphis (MEM) to Atlanta (ATL): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly MEM to ATL matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 95% on-time in October 2024 to just 75% in July 2026. Across the full period the route averages 86% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (90% vs 78%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 86%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Flights/day
- 9.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 23m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 332 mi
Best airline from MEM to ATL
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 88% | 5 min | 1.1% | 271 |
| Delta Air Lines | 87% | 12 min | 1.7% | 6,653 |
| Frontier Airlines | 64% | 30 min | 5.7% | 70 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MEM to ATL
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (72%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 85% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 89% | 10 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 91% | 7 min |
| Thursday | 88% | 11 min |
| Friday | 87% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 85% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 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 aircraft36%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MEM to ATL delayed?
- 14% of MEM–ATL 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 12 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MEM to ATL?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 88%, based on 271 flights. 3 airlines flew MEM–ATL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MEM to ATL?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (72%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MEM to ATL?
- The scheduled MEM–ATL flight time averages 1h 23m over 332 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 14% of the time.
- How often are MEM to ATL flights cancelled?
- 1.7% 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 MEM to ATL?
- July 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 75% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 20-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 7,016 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.