Milwaukee (MKE) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MKE–DEN. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 89% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 68% — a gap of 22 points. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 6.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 42m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 896 mi
Best airline from MKE to DEN
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 82% | 12 min | 0.6% | 2,691 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 79% | 14 min | 0.3% | 861 |
| United Airlines | 78% | 16 min | 0.6% | 1,314 |
| Frontier Airlines | 78% | 19 min | 1.1% | 190 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MKE to DEN
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (97% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (62%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 81% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 13 min |
| Thursdaybest | 81% | 12 min |
| Friday | 80% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 15 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft32%
- Airline operations32%
- National airspace system32%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MKE to DEN delayed?
- 20% of MKE–DEN 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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MKE to DEN?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 2,691 flights. 4 airlines flew MKE–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MKE to DEN?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (62%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MKE to DEN?
- The scheduled MKE–DEN flight time averages 2h 42m over 896 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are MKE to DEN flights cancelled?
- 0.6% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from MKE to DEN?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 68% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 22-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,056 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.