Minneapolis (MSP) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MSP–IAH. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 65% — a gap of 26 points. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 72%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 5.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 0m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,034 mi
Best airline from MSP to IAH
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 87% | 9 min | 1.6% | 945 |
| Delta Air Lines | 77% | 16 min | 1.1% | 2,574 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 76% | 22 min | 0.0% | 95 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MSP to IAH
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 11 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 13 min |
| Friday | 79% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 75% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 79% | 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 aircraft15%
- Airline operations58%
- National airspace system23%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MSP to IAH delayed?
- 20% of MSP–IAH 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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MSP to IAH?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 945 flights. 3 airlines flew MSP–IAH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MSP to IAH?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (58%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MSP to IAH?
- The scheduled MSP–IAH flight time averages 3h 0m over 1,034 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are MSP to IAH flights cancelled?
- 1.2% 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 MSP to IAH?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,614 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.