FlightRecord

Pensacola (PNS) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Pensacola (PNS) to Washington (DCA) has an unusually high scrub rate — 4.5% of scheduled departures never left the gate, a cancellation rate several times the national figure. When flights do go, 73% land on time, below the national average of 78%. Republic Airways has been the safer pick, arriving on time 79% of the time.

On-time
73%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
38 min
completed flights
Cancelled
4.5%
Flights/day
2.9
last 12 months
Duration
2h 21m
scheduled
Distance
816 mi

Best airline from PNS to DCA

3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Republic Airwaysmost reliable79%20 min3.0%202
PSA Airlines72%40 min4.5%1,599
Envoy Air68%24 min9.2%76

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for PNS to DCA flights50%75%100%June 2024: 58% on-time (89 flights)58Jun 2024July 2024: 56% on-time (93 flights)56August 2024: 68% on-time (67 flights)68September 2024: 93% on-time (60 flights)93Sep 2024October 2024: 89% on-time (62 flights)89November 2024: 92% on-time (59 flights)92December 2024: 81% on-time (71 flights)81Dec 2024January 2025: 85% on-time (68 flights)85February 2025: 55% on-time (56 flights)55March 2025: 70% on-time (62 flights)70Mar 2025April 2025: 72% on-time (60 flights)72May 2025: 74% on-time (62 flights)74June 2025: 65% on-time (84 flights)65Jun 2025July 2025: 70% on-time (92 flights)70August 2025: 74% on-time (93 flights)74September 2025: 80% on-time (90 flights)80Sep 2025October 2025: 74% on-time (93 flights)74November 2025: 75% on-time (84 flights)75December 2025: 66% on-time (88 flights)66Dec 2025January 2026: 71% on-time (93 flights)71February 2026: 68% on-time (81 flights)68March 2026: 66% on-time (89 flights)66Mar 2026April 2026: 74% on-time (88 flights)74May 2026: 77% on-time (93 flights)77

Best time to fly from PNS to DCA

Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (81% on-time); avoid 12 p.m. departures (61%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, PNS to DCA6 a.m.: 81% on-time (699 flights)67 a.m.: 76% on-time (26 flights)710 a.m.: 74% on-time (302 flights)1011 a.m.: 70% on-time (121 flights)1112 p.m.: 61% on-time (45 flights)123 p.m.: 61% on-time (383 flights)154 p.m.: 62% on-time (141 flights)165 p.m.: 74% on-time (159 flights)17scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday74%28 min
Tuesday73%52 min
Wednesday71%41 min
Thursday72%41 min
Friday70%39 min
Saturdaybest75%22 min
Sunday74%38 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft35%
  • Airline operations47%
  • National airspace system11%
  • Weather8%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from PNS to DCA delayed?
28% of PNS–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 38 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from PNS to DCA?
Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 202 flights. 3 airlines flew PNS–DCA frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from PNS to DCA?
Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (81% on-time), while departures around 12 p.m. have the worst (61%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from PNS to DCA?
The scheduled PNS–DCA flight time averages 2h 21m over 816 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
How often are PNS to DCA flights cancelled?
4.5% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05 — several times the typical US rate, so consider earlier departures or backup options.
What is the worst month to fly from PNS to DCA?
February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 38-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 1,877 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.