PlainFlights

Route · ATL → IAD · 2020–2025 BTS data

Atlanta to Washington

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ATL to IAD (Atlanta to Washington) ranks #327 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84%
On-time
+5 pts
vs US avg
77 min
Delay when late
20,375
Flights
#327 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.3%

Best Month

Feb 2024 91%

Worst Month

Jul 2025 63%

Distance

534 mi

Carriers

43

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 321 98 7 0 DL,YX,F9,UA
Nov 2025 322 74 8 0 UA,DL,F9
Oct 2025 334 66 1 0 UA,DL,F9
Sep 2025 315 54 0 0 UA,DL,F9
Aug 2025 344 88 2 1 YX,F9,UA,DL
Jul 2025 353 131 14 2 DL,UA,F9
Jun 2025 351 117 14 0 DL,UA,YX,F9
May 2025 349 101 1 3 DL,UA,YX,F9
Apr 2025 317 79 2 0 DL,F9,UA
Mar 2025 317 64 2 0 DL,YX,UA,F9
Feb 2025 258 57 0 0 DL,UA,YX,F9
Jan 2025 271 67 13 0 DL,UA,F9
Dec 2024 308 75 0 1 DL,F9,UA
Nov 2024 292 28 1 0 UA,WN,DL,F9
Oct 2024 317 33 1 0 UA,DL
Sep 2024 305 47 1 0 UA,DL
Aug 2024 299 51 3 2 DL,UA
Jul 2024 285 92 17 0 DL,UA
Jun 2024 311 60 0 0 DL,UA
May 2024 277 59 4 2 DL,UA
Apr 2024 236 39 0 1 DL,UA
Mar 2024 209 32 0 0 DL,YX,UA
Feb 2024 206 19 1 0 DL,UA,YX
Jan 2024 221 29 1 0 DL,WN,YX,UA

ATL–IAD seasonal on-time pattern

Best: November (89.4%) · weakest: July (74.5%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.2%

Strongest calendar month

November

89.4% on-time · ~293 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~312 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

74.5% on-time · ~300 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.3%

93 of 7,118 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

12 of 7,118 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

ATL - Atlanta

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Atlanta, GA.

ATL on-time profile

IAD - Washington

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Washington, DC.

IAD on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See ATL and IAD side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare ATL vs IAD

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among ATL departures

From ATL, this corridor sits with 75 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 144 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (67 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 2 below 75%). Destination: Washington · fleet on-time rank #1560 of 4927.

What the Data Says About ATL to IAD

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Atlanta to Washington (ATL to IAD) running a 84% on-time rate over 20,375 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 77.1 minutes. The 534-mile corridor is served by 43 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.3% of 7,118 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 63% - a 28-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, ATL–IAD peaks in November at 89.4% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~312 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 74.5%, a 14.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ATL to IAD rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, ATL to IAD ranks #327 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from ATL to IAD? ▼
Flights from Atlanta to Washington have a 84% on-time rate based on 20,375 flights. The average delay is 77.1 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 91% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for ATL to IAD? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.3% of flights on this route were cancelled (93 of 7,118 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from ATL to IAD? ▼
The flight distance from Atlanta (ATL) to Washington (IAD) is approximately 534 miles. This route is served by 43 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from ATL to IAD? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (91% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (63% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

ATL Airport

Atlanta
IAD Airport

Washington
Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using ATL–IAD data

ATL–IAD runs 5 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare ATL and IAD airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ATL airport
  • If your dates flex, November (89.4% on-time) beats July (74.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.