Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Seattle (SEA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on RDU–SEA. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 94% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 47% — a gap of 46 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 2.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 58m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,354 mi
Best airline from RDU to SEA
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 87% | 8 min | 1.0% | 728 |
| Alaska Airlines | 73% | 15 min | 1.0% | 1,087 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from RDU to SEA
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (87% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (70%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 74% | 15 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 8 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 15 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 11 min |
| Friday | 77% | 12 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 79% | 11 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft28%
- Airline operations36%
- National airspace system32%
- Weather4%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from RDU to SEA delayed?
- 22% of RDU–SEA 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 12 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from RDU to SEA?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 728 flights. 2 airlines flew RDU–SEA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from RDU to SEA?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (87% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (70%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from RDU to SEA?
- The scheduled RDU–SEA flight time averages 5h 58m over 2,354 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are RDU to SEA flights cancelled?
- 1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from RDU to SEA?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 47% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 46-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,815 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.