New Orleans (MSY) to Orlando (MCO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MSY–MCO. January 2025 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but July 2026 dropped to 65% — a gap of 27 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 67%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.8%
- Flights/day
- 6.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 48m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 551 mi
Best airline from MSY to MCO
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 82% | 16 min | 3.2% | 1,228 |
| Southwest Airlines | 77% | 15 min | 1.1% | 3,257 |
| Frontier Airlines | 75% | 25 min | 2.5% | 366 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MSY to MCO
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (64%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 18 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 84% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 16 min |
| Friday | 78% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 70% | 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 aircraft56%
- Airline operations20%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MSY to MCO delayed?
- 22% of MSY–MCO 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 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MSY to MCO?
- Spirit Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 1,228 flights. 3 airlines flew MSY–MCO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MSY to MCO?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (64%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MSY to MCO?
- The scheduled MSY–MCO flight time averages 1h 48m over 551 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are MSY to MCO flights cancelled?
- 1.8% 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 MCO?
- July 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,851 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.