St. Louis (STL) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly STL to DCA matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 93% on-time in September 2024 to just 57% in February 2025. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (85% vs 61%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 74%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 20 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.7%
- Flights/day
- 6.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 2m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 719 mi
Best airline from STL to DCA
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 79% | 18 min | 4.7% | 321 |
| American Airlines | 76% | 23 min | 2.1% | 519 |
| PSA Airlines | 75% | 29 min | 5.5% | 1,104 |
| Southwest Airlines | 73% | 17 min | 1.5% | 2,909 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from STL to DCA
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (51%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 26 min |
| Tuesday | 78% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 77% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 25 min |
| Friday | 72% | 20 min |
| Saturdaybest | 83% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 69% | 22 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft40%
- Airline operations32%
- National airspace system25%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from STL to DCA delayed?
- 26% of STL–DCA 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 20 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from STL to DCA?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 321 flights. 4 airlines flew STL–DCA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from STL to DCA?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (51%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from STL to DCA?
- The scheduled STL–DCA flight time averages 2h 2m over 719 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are STL to DCA flights cancelled?
- 2.7% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from STL to DCA?
- February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 35-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,875 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.