Chicago (ORD) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–DCA. November 2024 flights landed on schedule 86% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 57% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 71% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (80% vs 61%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 71%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 24 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.6%
- Flights/day
- 19
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 58m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 612 mi
Best airline from ORD to DCA
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy Airmost reliable | 82% | 8 min | 2.3% | 171 |
| United Airlines | 72% | 20 min | 1.6% | 7,108 |
| Republic Airways | 72% | 22 min | 4.1% | 1,498 |
| American Airlines | 69% | 31 min | 3.3% | 5,144 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 66% | 31 min | 4.0% | 202 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to DCA
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (57%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 71% | 26 min |
| Tuesday | 75% | 21 min |
| Wednesday | 70% | 24 min |
| Thursday | 70% | 25 min |
| Friday | 66% | 28 min |
| Saturdaybest | 79% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 69% | 26 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft42%
- Airline operations25%
- National airspace system28%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to DCA delayed?
- 29% of ORD–DCA 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 24 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to DCA?
- Envoy Air has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 171 flights. 5 airlines flew ORD–DCA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to DCA?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (57%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to DCA?
- The scheduled ORD–DCA flight time averages 1h 58m over 612 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 29% of the time.
- How often are ORD to DCA flights cancelled?
- 2.6% 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 ORD to DCA?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Related guides
Based on 14,123 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.