Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly RDU to DEN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 91% on-time in October 2024 to just 65% in June 2025. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (90% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 4.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 57m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,436 mi
Best airline from RDU to DEN
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 13 min | 0.7% | 1,655 |
| Southwest Airlines | 76% | 14 min | 0.5% | 1,470 |
| Frontier Airlines | 76% | 21 min | 1.4% | 647 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from RDU to DEN
Aim for departures around 1 p.m. (94% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 17 min |
| Tuesday | 81% | 14 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 84% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 13 min |
| Friday | 77% | 21 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 13 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft42%
- Airline operations22%
- National airspace system29%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from RDU to DEN delayed?
- 20% of RDU–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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from RDU to DEN?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 1,655 flights. 3 airlines flew RDU–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from RDU to DEN?
- Departures around 1 p.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 6 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 RDU to DEN?
- The scheduled RDU–DEN flight time averages 3h 57m over 1,436 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are RDU to DEN flights cancelled?
- 0.7% 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 RDU to DEN?
- June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,772 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.