Airport · FSM · Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith, AR
Fort Smith, AR posts top-quartile on-time performance among the 382 tracked U.S. airports, as a mid-size U.S. airport. According to the U.S. DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics, drawn from 14,933 flights (2020–2025); its biggest delay driver is carrier.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 85.8%
- On-time
- Top 25%
- on-time, US airports
- 85 min
- Delay when late
- 1.98%
- Cancelled
Key Performance Metrics
Total Flights
14,933
Best Month
Feb 95.4%
Worst Month
Jun 87.6%
Delayed
2,123
Cancelled
295
FSM on-time rate vs. the national average
Ahead of the U.S. average across all 382 tracked airports.
Where FSM sits among all 382 tracked airports
FSM's 85.8% on-time rate falls in the 85-90% band, the 116-airport band it shares.
National on-time-rate distribution
- 60-65% 1
1 airport between 60% and 65% on-time
1 airports
- 65-70% 4
4 airports between 65% and 70% on-time
4 airports
- 70-75% 9
9 airports between 70% and 75% on-time
9 airports
- 75-80% 48
48 airports between 75% and 80% on-time
48 airports
- 80-85%
192 airports between 80% and 85% on-time
192 airports
- 85-90%
116 airports between 85% and 90% on-time
116 airports
- 90-95% 12
12 airports between 90% and 95% on-time
12 airports
What this shows FSM is marked in the 85-90% band.
Delay Cause Breakdown
Top delay cause: Carrier. Total delay minutes: 103,086.
FSM - seasonal on-time pattern
Best: February (95.4%) · worst: June (87.6%)
Seasonal Performance Patterns
Monthly averages across all years of data. Best month: February (95.4% on-time). Most delays: June (87.6% on-time).
| Month | Avg Flights | Avg Delayed | Avg Cancelled | On-Time % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 193 | 26 | 2 | 93.3% |
| November | 197 | 23 | 4 | 93.9% |
| October | 207 | 22 | 2 | 94.4% |
| September | 193 | 24 | 1 | 94.1% |
| August | 199 | 31 | 3 | 93.1% |
| July | 218 | 40 | 2 | 91.5% |
| June | 200 | 52 | 2 | 87.6% |
| May | 195 | 34 | 6 | 91.3% |
| April | 206 | 22 | 12 | 94.9% |
| March | 238 | 28 | 4 | 94.2% |
| February | 212 | 23 | 8 | 95.4% |
| January | 231 | 30 | 5 | 92.8% |
Year-Over-Year Performance
Annual flight volume and on-time trends at FSM.
FSM - on-time rate by year
2020–2025, year-over-year trend.
| Year | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | On-Time % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,338 | 183 | 47 | 92.2% |
| 2024 | 2,368 | 221 | 28 | 90.7% |
| 2023 | 2,148 | 141 | 22 | 93.4% |
| 2022 | 2,848 | 218 | 54 | 92.3% |
| 2021 | 2,691 | 168 | 64 | 93.8% |
| 2020 | 2,540 | 105 | 80 | 95.9% |
Cancellation & Diversion Analysis
Flight disruption statistics for Fort Smith, AR.
Cancellation Rate
1.98%
295 of 14,933 flights
Diversion Rate
0.06%
9 of 14,933 flights
Delay Rate
14.2%
2,123 of 14,933 flights
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of flight data.
| Period | Flights | Dep Delayed | Arr Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 186 | 16 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 2025 | 196 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 0 |
| Oct 2025 | 194 | 11 | 12 | 2 | 1 |
| Sep 2025 | 236 | 14 | 14 | 1 | 1 |
| Aug 2025 | 192 | 11 | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Jul 2025 | 216 | 31 | 27 | 4 | 1 |
| Jun 2025 | 212 | 34 | 36 | 2 | 0 |
| May 2025 | 186 | 15 | 15 | 6 | 0 |
| Apr 2025 | 180 | 14 | 10 | 7 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 186 | 7 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| Feb 2025 | 168 | 6 | 12 | 5 | 0 |
| Jan 2025 | 186 | 13 | 8 | 8 | 0 |
| Dec 2024 | 182 | 12 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Nov 2024 | 174 | 9 | 12 | 4 | 0 |
| Oct 2024 | 226 | 9 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2024 | 198 | 12 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 2024 | 234 | 15 | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 2024 | 224 | 29 | 33 | 3 | 0 |
| Jun 2024 | 218 | 41 | 49 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2024 | 186 | 33 | 33 | 4 | 0 |
| Apr 2024 | 180 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 186 | 16 | 16 | 2 | 0 |
| Feb 2024 | 174 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Jan 2024 | 186 | 23 | 20 | 11 | 0 |
Top Routes from FSM
Busiest routes to and from Fort Smith, AR.
| Route | Flights | On-Time | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) → FSM (Fort Smith) | 7,208 | 85.5% | 227 mi |
| FSM (Fort Smith) → DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) | 7,208 | 82.7% | 227 mi |
Airports With a Similar On-Time Rate
Other U.S. airports nationwide whose on-time rate is closest to Fort Smith, AR's 85.8%.
Other Airports in Arkansas
Compare performance with other Arkansas airports.
Keep exploring
More flight data around Fort Smith, AR.
Arkansas flight data
Statewide on-time and delay aggregates, plus every reporting airport in Arkansas.
View AR data →Airport rankings
See where FSM sits among U.S. airports on on-time rate and average delay.
Best on-time airports →Compare airports
Put FSM head-to-head with another airport on delays and reliability.
Open comparison tool →What the Data Says About FSM
Fort Smith, AR in Fort Smith, Arkansas handled 14,933 flights in the Bureau of Transportation Statistics dataset between 2020 and 2025, posting a 85.8% on-time departure rate. Of those flights, 2,123 experienced delays, 295 were cancelled, and 9 were diverted. The cancellation rate works out to 1.98%, the diversion rate to 0.06%, and the average delay when departures run late is 84.8 minutes. These figures are the baseline for comparing FSM against other airports in the same state and nationally.
Breaking down what drives delays at FSM, Carrier leads the pack. Carrier accounts for 36.6% of total delay minutes, followed by Late Aircraft at 33.3% and Weather at 16.6%. Weather contributes 16.6% of delay minutes at this airport, while security holds the smallest share at 0.3%. Travelers often overestimate the weather share; the BTS categorization shows late-arriving aircraft and carrier operations as the larger contributors.
Seasonally, February runs the cleanest at FSM with a 95.4% on-time rate, while June is the roughest at 87.6% - a 8-point swing between best and worst month. Volume peaks in March, when average flights hit 238. The busiest route connecting FSM is to DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth), with 7,208 flights at a 85.5% on-time rate. Combine these numbers - 85.8% on-time, 84.8-minute average delay, 1.98% cancellation rate, and you have a concrete picture of departure reliability at Fort Smith, AR.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the on-time performance rate at Fort Smith, AR (FSM)? ▼
What is the most common cause of delays at FSM? ▼
What is the average delay time at FSM? ▼
What is the best month to fly from FSM? ▼
What is the worst month for delays at FSM? ▼
How many routes operate from FSM? ▼
What is the cancellation rate at FSM? ▼
Flight Guides
Data-driven guides to help you understand airport and flight performance.
Explore PlainFlights
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Using FSM's data
An airport-level on-time rate is a starting point, not a guarantee for your specific flight.
- Check the busiest route from FSM before you book a connection. See top routes
- Travel in February rather than June if your dates are flexible. Seasonal patterns
- Scores vary by airline and route within the same airport; check the specific carrier you're flying. Browse airlines
On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers at this airport, not any single flight or airline.
Related
Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Airline on-time performance and operational reliability · 2025
Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. Airport figures are computed directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.