Milwaukee (MKE) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through May 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 81% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 67%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 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 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 83% | 11 min | 0.6% | 2,566 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 79% | 14 min | 0.3% | 756 |
| United Airlines | 78% | 16 min | 0.5% | 1,314 |
| Frontier Airlines | 77% | 22 min | 1.5% | 206 |
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 (65%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 14 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 11 min |
| Friday | 79% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 14 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 operations33%
- National airspace system32%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MKE to DEN delayed?
- 19% of MKE–DEN 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 14 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MKE to DEN?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 2,566 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 (65%). 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 19% of the time.
- How often are MKE to DEN flights cancelled?
- 0.6% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, 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 4,842 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.