Portland (PDX) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on PDX–DEN. March 2025 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 62% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 82% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (90% vs 74%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 82%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 11 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Flights/day
- 12
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 33m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 991 mi
Best airline from PDX to DEN
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 89% | 8 min | 0.5% | 3,814 |
| Alaska Airlines | 79% | 13 min | 0.8% | 1,182 |
| Frontier Airlines | 78% | 14 min | 1.0% | 858 |
| Southwest Airlines | 76% | 14 min | 0.2% | 3,388 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PDX to DEN
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (60%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 81% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 12 min |
| Friday | 80% | 13 min |
| Saturdaybest | 86% | 9 min |
| Sunday | 85% | 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 aircraft38%
- Airline operations26%
- National airspace system35%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PDX to DEN delayed?
- 18% of PDX–DEN 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 11 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PDX to DEN?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 89%, based on 3,814 flights. 4 airlines flew PDX–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PDX to DEN?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (60%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PDX to DEN?
- The scheduled PDX–DEN flight time averages 2h 33m over 991 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 18% of the time.
- How often are PDX to DEN flights cancelled?
- 0.5% 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 DEN?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was March 2025 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 9,255 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.