Tampa (TPA) to New Orleans (MSY): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly TPA to MSY matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 97% on-time in November 2024 to just 66% in May 2026. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (93% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.0%
- Flights/day
- 2.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 43m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 487 mi
Best airline from TPA to MSY
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 82% | 12 min | 1.6% | 1,704 |
| Spirit Airlines | 77% | 16 min | 3.2% | 571 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from TPA to MSY
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (98% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (50%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 14 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 88% | 8 min |
| Wednesday | 86% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 14 min |
| Friday | 79% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 82% | 9 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft63%
- Airline operations21%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from TPA to MSY delayed?
- 20% of TPA–MSY 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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from TPA to MSY?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 1,704 flights. 2 airlines flew TPA–MSY frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from TPA to MSY?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (98% on-time), while departures around 7 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 TPA to MSY?
- The scheduled TPA–MSY flight time averages 1h 43m over 487 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are TPA to MSY flights cancelled?
- 2% 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 TPA to MSY?
- May 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 66% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,278 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.