New Orleans (MSY) to Charlotte (CLT): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly MSY to CLT matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 91% on-time in November 2024 to just 57% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 69%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Flights/day
- 4.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 2m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 650 mi
Best airline from MSY to CLT
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 87% | 13 min | 1.5% | 271 |
| American Airlines | 81% | 18 min | 1.7% | 3,604 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MSY to CLT
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (67%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 16 min |
| Tuesday | 86% | 18 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 89% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 17 min |
| Friday | 82% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 21 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft49%
- Airline operations32%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather7%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MSY to CLT delayed?
- 19% of MSY–CLT 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 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MSY to CLT?
- Spirit Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 271 flights. 2 airlines flew MSY–CLT frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MSY to CLT?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (67%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MSY to CLT?
- The scheduled MSY–CLT flight time averages 2h 2m over 650 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are MSY to CLT 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 MSY to CLT?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 34-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,907 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.