Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Tampa (TPA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly RDU to TPA matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 96% on-time in September 2025 to just 59% in July 2025. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (91% vs 68%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.9%
- Flights/day
- 3.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 55m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 587 mi
Best airline from RDU to TPA
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 83% | 14 min | 1.9% | 1,294 |
| Southwest Airlines | 80% | 12 min | 1.4% | 806 |
| Frontier Airlines | 74% | 25 min | 3.0% | 496 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from RDU to TPA
Aim for departures around 10 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (45%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 17 min |
| Tuesday | 86% | 11 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 88% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 22 min |
| Friday | 78% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 17 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft45%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system15%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from RDU to TPA delayed?
- 20% of RDU–TPA 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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from RDU to TPA?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 1,294 flights. 3 airlines flew RDU–TPA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from RDU to TPA?
- Departures around 10 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (45%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from RDU to TPA?
- The scheduled RDU–TPA flight time averages 1h 55m over 587 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are RDU to TPA flights cancelled?
- 1.9% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from RDU to TPA?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 37-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,598 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.