Portland (PDX) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Portland (PDX) to Washington (DCA) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 363 departures over the past year, roughly 7 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 81% arrived on time.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 9 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.1%
- Flights/day
- 0.99
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 2m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,350 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PDX to DCA
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 9 a.m. departures (76%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 10 min |
| Tuesday | 84% | 7 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 11 min |
| Friday | 78% | 10 min |
| Saturdaybest | 88% | 7 min |
| Sunday | 79% | 10 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft11%
- Airline operations23%
- National airspace system65%
- Weather1%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PDX to DCA delayed?
- 19% of PDX–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 9 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PDX to DCA?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 9 a.m. have the worst (76%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PDX to DCA?
- The scheduled PDX–DCA flight time averages 5h 2m over 2,350 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are PDX to DCA flights cancelled?
- 0.1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from PDX to DCA?
- February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 50% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2026 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 43-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from PDX
Other ways to fly to Washington (DCA)
Related guides
Based on 756 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.