Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Washington (IAD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on RDU–IAD. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 96% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 78% — a gap of 18 points. Across the full period the route averages 88% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 88%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 10 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.6%
- Flights/day
- 3.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 13m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 225 mi
Best airline from RDU to IAD
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 89% | 10 min | 1.4% | 1,845 |
| Republic Airways | 84% | 12 min | 2.1% | 536 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from RDU to IAD
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (79%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 87% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 89% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 89% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 89% | 9 min |
| Friday | 86% | 11 min |
| Saturdaybest | 93% | 6 min |
| Sunday | 84% | 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 aircraft50%
- Airline operations23%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather8%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from RDU to IAD delayed?
- 12% of RDU–IAD 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 10 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from RDU to IAD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 89%, based on 1,845 flights. 2 airlines flew RDU–IAD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from RDU to IAD?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (79%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from RDU to IAD?
- The scheduled RDU–IAD flight time averages 1h 13m over 225 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 12% of the time.
- How often are RDU to IAD flights cancelled?
- 1.6% 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 IAD?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 78% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 18-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from RDU
Other ways to fly to Washington (IAD)
Related guides
Based on 2,381 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.