New Orleans (MSY) to Houston (HOU): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MSY–HOU. January 2026 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but March 2026 dropped to 56% — a gap of 34 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (91% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 6.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 19m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 303 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MSY to HOU
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (62%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 14 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 15 min |
| Friday | 77% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft54%
- Airline operations20%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MSY to HOU delayed?
- 22% of MSY–HOU 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.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MSY to HOU?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (95% 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 MSY to HOU?
- The scheduled MSY–HOU flight time averages 1h 19m over 303 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are MSY to HOU 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 HOU?
- March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2026 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 34-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,753 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.