Tampa (TPA) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on TPA–IAH. February 2026 flights landed on schedule 96% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 66% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 83% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 83%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.8%
- Flights/day
- 4.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 32m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 787 mi
Best airline from TPA to IAH
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 13 min | 1.5% | 2,827 |
| Spirit Airlines | 78% | 21 min | 3.5% | 489 |
| Frontier Airlines | 70% | 31 min | 1.9% | 210 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from TPA to IAH
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (52%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 83% | 15 min |
| Tuesday | 86% | 12 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 87% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 83% | 13 min |
| Friday | 82% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 84% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 80% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft38%
- Airline operations25%
- National airspace system30%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from TPA to IAH delayed?
- 17% of TPA–IAH 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 TPA to IAH?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 2,827 flights. 3 airlines flew TPA–IAH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from TPA to IAH?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (52%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from TPA to IAH?
- The scheduled TPA–IAH flight time averages 2h 32m over 787 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 17% of the time.
- How often are TPA to IAH flights cancelled?
- 1.8% 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 TPA to IAH?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 66% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2026 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,526 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.