Seattle (SEA) to Cincinnati (CVG): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly SEA to CVG matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 92% on-time in September 2025 to just 62% in July 2025. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 10 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 2.2
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 23m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,965 mi
Best airline from SEA to CVG
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 87% | 8 min | 1.1% | 755 |
| Alaska Airlines | 76% | 12 min | 0.6% | 850 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SEA to CVG
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 11 p.m. departures (50%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 83% | 11 min |
| Tuesday | 84% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 83% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 9 min |
| Fridaybest | 87% | 7 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 9 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 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 aircraft28%
- Airline operations51%
- National airspace system21%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SEA to CVG delayed?
- 19% of SEA–CVG 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 SEA to CVG?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 755 flights. 2 airlines flew SEA–CVG frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SEA to CVG?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 11 p.m. have the worst (50%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SEA to CVG?
- The scheduled SEA–CVG flight time averages 4h 23m over 1,965 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are SEA to CVG flights cancelled?
- 0.8% 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 SEA to CVG?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,605 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.