Airport · HLN · Helena, Montana
Helena, MT
Helena, MT posts top-5% 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 17,569 flights (2020–2025); its biggest delay driver is carrier.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 89.2%
- On-time
- Top 5%
- on-time, US airports
- 99 min
- Delay when late
- 0.66%
- Cancelled
Key Performance Metrics
Total Flights
17,569
Best Month
Mar 96.6%
Worst Month
Jan 92.7%
Delayed
1,889
Cancelled
116
HLN on-time rate vs. the national average
Ahead of the U.S. average across all 382 tracked airports.
Where HLN sits among all 382 tracked airports
HLN's 89.2% 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 HLN is marked in the 85-90% band.
Delay Cause Breakdown
Top delay cause: Carrier. Total delay minutes: 110,246.
HLN - seasonal on-time pattern
Best: March (96.6%) · worst: January (92.7%)
Seasonal Performance Patterns
Monthly averages across all years of data. Best month: March (96.6% on-time). Most delays: January (92.7% on-time).
| Month | Avg Flights | Avg Delayed | Avg Cancelled | On-Time % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 238 | 29 | 2 | 94.5% |
| November | 226 | 20 | 1 | 95.9% |
| October | 260 | 22 | 0 | 95.8% |
| September | 253 | 23 | 0 | 95.7% |
| August | 270 | 32 | 0 | 94.3% |
| July | 256 | 33 | 1 | 94.4% |
| June | 219 | 31 | 1 | 93.3% |
| May | 232 | 21 | 2 | 95.8% |
| April | 240 | 18 | 6 | 96.5% |
| March | 239 | 19 | 1 | 96.6% |
| February | 235 | 30 | 1 | 94.2% |
| January | 261 | 40 | 4 | 92.7% |
Year-Over-Year Performance
Annual flight volume and on-time trends at HLN.
HLN - on-time rate by year
2020–2025, year-over-year trend.
| Year | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | On-Time % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,360 | 271 | 16 | 91.9% |
| 2024 | 3,114 | 173 | 9 | 94.4% |
| 2023 | 2,924 | 112 | 11 | 96.2% |
| 2022 | 3,035 | 154 | 17 | 94.9% |
| 2021 | 2,951 | 120 | 15 | 95.9% |
| 2020 | 2,185 | 54 | 48 | 97.5% |
Cancellation & Diversion Analysis
Flight disruption statistics for Helena, MT.
Cancellation Rate
0.66%
116 of 17,569 flights
Diversion Rate
0.15%
27 of 17,569 flights
Delay Rate
10.8%
1,889 of 17,569 flights
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of flight data.
| Period | Flights | Dep Delayed | Arr Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 244 | 15 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 2025 | 254 | 15 | 12 | 3 | 0 |
| Oct 2025 | 298 | 16 | 12 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2025 | 300 | 20 | 17 | 0 | 1 |
| Aug 2025 | 310 | 34 | 34 | 2 | 2 |
| Jul 2025 | 306 | 32 | 34 | 2 | 3 |
| Jun 2025 | 300 | 42 | 36 | 2 | 4 |
| May 2025 | 296 | 20 | 22 | 1 | 1 |
| Apr 2025 | 258 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 248 | 6 | 11 | 0 | 1 |
| Feb 2025 | 248 | 27 | 28 | 1 | 0 |
| Jan 2025 | 298 | 28 | 33 | 5 | 0 |
| Dec 2024 | 242 | 14 | 14 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 2024 | 236 | 13 | 17 | 1 | 1 |
| Oct 2024 | 286 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Sep 2024 | 240 | 12 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Aug 2024 | 248 | 13 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 2024 | 248 | 14 | 15 | 0 | 1 |
| Jun 2024 | 240 | 14 | 19 | 0 | 2 |
| May 2024 | 248 | 15 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2024 | 240 | 11 | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2024 | 274 | 8 | 14 | 2 | 0 |
| Feb 2024 | 290 | 14 | 15 | 1 | 0 |
| Jan 2024 | 322 | 37 | 33 | 5 | 0 |
Top Routes from HLN
Busiest routes to and from Helena, MT.
| Route | Flights | On-Time | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| HLN (Helena) → SLC (Salt Lake City) | 4,471 | 93.5% | 402 mi |
| SLC (Salt Lake City) → HLN (Helena) | 4,470 | 94.2% | 402 mi |
| DEN (Denver) → HLN (Helena) | 3,036 | 81.5% | 594 mi |
| HLN (Helena) → DEN (Denver) | 3,034 | 81.2% | 594 mi |
| HLN (Helena) → SEA (Seattle) | 677 | 84.8% | 491 mi |
| SEA (Seattle) → HLN (Helena) | 677 | 86.7% | 491 mi |
Airports With a Similar On-Time Rate
Other U.S. airports nationwide whose on-time rate is closest to Helena, MT's 89.2%.
Other Airports in Montana
Compare performance with other Montana airports.
Bozeman, MT
Bozeman · 117,386 flights
Missoula, MT
Missoula · 52,758 flights
Billings, MT
Billings · 51,010 flights
Kalispell, MT
Kalispell · 50,123 flights
Great Falls, MT
Great Falls · 29,395 flights
Butte, MT
Butte · 8,024 flights
West Yellowstone, MT
West Yellowstone · 3,872 flights
Keep exploring
More flight data around Helena, MT.
Montana flight data
Statewide on-time and delay aggregates, plus every reporting airport in Montana.
View MT data →Airport rankings
See where HLN sits among U.S. airports on on-time rate and average delay.
Best on-time airports →Compare airports
Put HLN head-to-head with another airport on delays and reliability.
Open comparison tool →What the Data Says About HLN
Helena, MT in Helena, Montana handled 17,569 flights in the Bureau of Transportation Statistics dataset between 2020 and 2025, posting a 89.2% on-time departure rate. Of those flights, 1,889 experienced delays, 116 were cancelled, and 27 were diverted. The cancellation rate works out to 0.66%, the diversion rate to 0.15%, and the average delay when departures run late is 99.0 minutes. These figures are the baseline for comparing HLN against other airports in the same state and nationally.
Breaking down what drives delays at HLN, Carrier leads the pack. Carrier accounts for 51.3% of total delay minutes, followed by Late Aircraft at 18.2% and NAS (National Aviation System) at 15.3%. Weather contributes 15.2% of delay minutes at this airport, while security holds the smallest share at 0.0%. Travelers often overestimate the weather share; the BTS categorization shows late-arriving aircraft and carrier operations as the larger contributors.
Seasonally, March runs the cleanest at HLN with a 96.6% on-time rate, while January is the roughest at 92.7% - a 4-point swing between best and worst month. Volume peaks in August, when average flights hit 270. The busiest route connecting HLN is to SLC (Salt Lake City), with 4,471 flights at a 93.5% on-time rate. Combine these numbers - 89.2% on-time, 99.0-minute average delay, 0.66% cancellation rate, and you have a concrete picture of departure reliability at Helena, MT.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the on-time performance rate at Helena, MT (HLN)? ▼
What is the most common cause of delays at HLN? ▼
What is the average delay time at HLN? ▼
What is the best month to fly from HLN? ▼
What is the worst month for delays at HLN? ▼
How many routes operate from HLN? ▼
What is the cancellation rate at HLN? ▼
Flight Guides
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Using HLN's data
An airport-level on-time rate is a starting point, not a guarantee for your specific flight.
- Check the busiest route from HLN before you book a connection. See top routes
- Travel in March rather than January 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.