Rapid City (RAP) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly RAP to DEN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 95% on-time in September 2024 to just 63% in June 2025. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (81% vs 70%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.5%
- Flights/day
- 7.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 34m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 301 mi
Best airline from RAP to DEN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 12 min | 1.4% | 1,490 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 78% | 21 min | 1.5% | 4,327 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from RAP to DEN
Aim for departures around 1 p.m. (89% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 18 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 15 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 21 min |
| Friday | 77% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 21 min |
| Sundaybest | 81% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft26%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system24%
- Weather13%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from RAP to DEN delayed?
- 22% of RAP–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 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from RAP to DEN?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 1,490 flights. 2 airlines flew RAP–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from RAP to DEN?
- Departures around 1 p.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (58%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from RAP to DEN?
- The scheduled RAP–DEN flight time averages 1h 34m over 301 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are RAP to DEN flights cancelled?
- 1.5% 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 RAP to DEN?
- June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 63% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,817 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.