Pittsburgh (PIT) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on PIT–DCA. September 2025 flights landed on schedule 89% of the time, but February 2026 dropped to 52% — a gap of 37 points. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 59%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.8%
- Flights/day
- 3.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 14m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 204 mi
Best airline from PIT to DCA
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 83% | 10 min | 1.8% | 1,492 |
| American Airlines | 69% | 26 min | 1.9% | 368 |
| PSA Airlines | 67% | 29 min | 5.1% | 844 |
| Envoy Air | 63% | 22 min | 2.7% | 295 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PIT to DCA
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (31%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 17 min |
| Tuesday | 77% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 72% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 69% | 25 min |
| Friday | 71% | 21 min |
| Saturdaybest | 82% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft44%
- Airline operations19%
- National airspace system35%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PIT to DCA delayed?
- 25% of PIT–DCA 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 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PIT to DCA?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 1,492 flights. 4 airlines flew PIT–DCA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PIT to DCA?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (31%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PIT to DCA?
- The scheduled PIT–DCA flight time averages 1h 14m over 204 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are PIT to DCA flights cancelled?
- 2.8% 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 PIT to DCA?
- February 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 52% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 37-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from PIT
Based on 2,999 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.