New Orleans (MSY) to Nashville (BNA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MSY–BNA. September 2025 flights landed on schedule 95% of the time, but June 2026 dropped to 60% — a gap of 35 points. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (90% vs 62%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 4.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 33m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 471 mi
Best airline from MSY to BNA
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 80% | 11 min | 0.9% | 2,877 |
| Spirit Airlines | 78% | 19 min | 4.1% | 268 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MSY to BNA
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (97% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (55%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 14 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 87% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 86% | 7 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 13 min |
| Friday | 77% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 84% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 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 aircraft61%
- Airline operations17%
- National airspace system17%
- Weather5%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MSY to BNA delayed?
- 20% of MSY–BNA 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 MSY to BNA?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 2,877 flights. 2 airlines flew MSY–BNA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MSY to BNA?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (55%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MSY to BNA?
- The scheduled MSY–BNA flight time averages 1h 33m over 471 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are MSY to BNA flights cancelled?
- 1.2% 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 MSY to BNA?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 35-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,145 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.