New Orleans (MSY) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MSY–IAH. January 2026 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 62% — a gap of 30 points. Across the full period the route averages 83% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 76%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 83%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.6%
- Flights/day
- 8.2
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 23m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 305 mi
Best airline from MSY to IAH
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 84% | 13 min | 1.5% | 5,461 |
| Spirit Airlines | 78% | 17 min | 2.5% | 477 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MSY to IAH
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (66%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 83% | 13 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 86% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 85% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 83% | 13 min |
| Friday | 83% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 84% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 13 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft39%
- Airline operations21%
- National airspace system32%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MSY to IAH delayed?
- 17% of MSY–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 14 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MSY to IAH?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 5,461 flights. 2 airlines flew MSY–IAH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MSY to IAH?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (66%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MSY to IAH?
- The scheduled MSY–IAH flight time averages 1h 23m over 305 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 17% of the time.
- How often are MSY to IAH flights cancelled?
- 1.6% 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 MSY to IAH?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2026 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 6,019 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.