New Orleans (MSY) to Orlando (MCO): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MSY–MCO. January 2025 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but August 2024 dropped to 67% — a gap of 24 points. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (91% vs 68%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.8%
- Flights/day
- 6.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 47m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 551 mi
Best airline from MSY to MCO
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 82% | 16 min | 3.1% | 1,318 |
| Southwest Airlines | 78% | 15 min | 1.2% | 3,098 |
| Frontier Airlines | 76% | 25 min | 2.4% | 297 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MSY to MCO
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (65%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 81% | 18 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 84% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 82% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 16 min |
| Friday | 78% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 20 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft55%
- Airline operations19%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MSY to MCO delayed?
- 21% of MSY–MCO 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 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 1,318 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 3 p.m. have the worst (65%). 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 47m over 551 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are MSY to MCO flights cancelled?
- 1.8% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from MSY to MCO?
- August 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 67% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 24-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,713 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.