Norfolk (ORF) to Washington (IAD): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly ORF to IAD matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 97% on-time in October 2024 to just 74% in January 2025. Across the full period the route averages 89% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 89%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 9 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.2%
- Flights/day
- 1.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 8m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 158 mi
Best airline from ORF to IAD
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 90% | 9 min | 1.0% | 618 |
| Republic Airways | 87% | 10 min | 3.4% | 583 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORF to IAD
Aim for departures around 7 p.m. (94% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (78%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 88% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 90% | 10 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 91% | 5 min |
| Thursday | 87% | 11 min |
| Friday | 87% | 9 min |
| Saturday | 90% | 7 min |
| Sunday | 88% | 9 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft34%
- Airline operations42%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORF to IAD delayed?
- 11% of ORF–IAD 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 9 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORF to IAD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 90%, based on 618 flights. 2 airlines flew ORF–IAD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORF to IAD?
- Departures around 7 p.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (78%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORF to IAD?
- The scheduled ORF–IAD flight time averages 1h 8m over 158 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 11% of the time.
- How often are ORF to IAD flights cancelled?
- 2.2% 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 ORF to IAD?
- January 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 74% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 24-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,201 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.