Route · DAL → DCA · 2020–2025 BTS data
Dallas to Washington
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DAL to DCA (Dallas to Washington) ranks #1387 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 76.6%
- On-time
- -2.4 pts
- vs US avg
- 61 min
- Delay when late
- 8,735
- Flights
- #1387 of 4927
- Corpus placement
Cancelled
1.5%
Best Month
Jan 2025 91%
Worst Month
Feb 2025 52%
Distance
1,184 mi
Carriers
1
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 149 | 32 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| Nov 2025 | 139 | 35 | 4 | 0 | WN |
| Oct 2025 | 146 | 51 | 0 | 1 | WN |
| Sep 2025 | 142 | 32 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| Aug 2025 | 146 | 34 | 2 | 0 | WN |
| Jul 2025 | 150 | 52 | 3 | 4 | WN |
| Jun 2025 | 146 | 62 | 1 | 1 | WN |
| May 2025 | 145 | 49 | 1 | 0 | WN |
| Apr 2025 | 143 | 41 | 4 | 0 | WN |
| Mar 2025 | 149 | 43 | 1 | 2 | WN |
| Feb 2025 | 132 | 64 | 1 | 0 | WN |
| Jan 2025 | 148 | 14 | 19 | 1 | WN |
| Dec 2024 | 149 | 46 | 0 | 2 | WN |
| Nov 2024 | 139 | 26 | 0 | 1 | WN |
| Oct 2024 | 147 | 25 | 1 | 0 | WN |
| Sep 2024 | 138 | 23 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| Aug 2024 | 141 | 33 | 1 | 1 | WN |
| Jul 2024 | 143 | 38 | 0 | 2 | WN |
| Jun 2024 | 135 | 37 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| May 2024 | 143 | 49 | 4 | 1 | WN |
| Apr 2024 | 138 | 34 | 0 | 2 | WN |
| Mar 2024 | 141 | 41 | 1 | 0 | WN |
| Feb 2024 | 137 | 25 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| Jan 2024 | 147 | 32 | 8 | 0 | WN |
DAL–DCA seasonal on-time pattern
Best: January (86.9%) · weakest: May (70.7%)
Strongest calendar month
January
86.9% on-time · ~129 flights/mo
Busiest calendar month
February
~133 flights/mo avg
Weakest calendar month
May
70.7% on-time · ~117 flights/mo
Cancellation Rate
1.5%
51 of 3,433 flights
Diversion Rate
0.5%
18 of 3,433 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
DAL - Dallas
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Dallas, TX.
DAL on-time profileDCA - Washington
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Washington, DC.
DCA on-time profileCompare the two airports
See DAL and DCA side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Compare DAL vs DCAOrigin-hub reliability standing
Mid-pack among DAL departures
From DAL, this corridor sits with 47 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 57 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (0 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 10 below 75%). Destination: Washington · fleet on-time rank #4175 of 4927.
Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to DAL–DCA.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About DAL to DCA
The Dallas to Washington corridor (DAL to DCA) posts a 76.6% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 8,735 tracked flights. Late flights run 61.3 minutes behind on average. 1 carrier cover the 1,184-mile route; over the last 24 months, 51 of 3,433 flights were cancelled (1.5%) and 0.5% diverted.
The monthly split is wide on this route: Jan 2025 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 52% - a 39-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
On the multi-year calendar, DAL–DCA peaks in January at 86.9% on-time while February carries the heaviest traffic (~133 flights per month) ; the softest month is May at 70.7%, a 16.2-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does DAL to DCA rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
How often are flights delayed from DAL to DCA? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for DAL to DCA? ▼
How far is the flight from DAL to DCA? ▼
When is the best time to fly from DAL to DCA? ▼
Airports on this route
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 DAL–DCA data
DAL–DCA is mid-pack at 76.6% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.
- Compare DAL and DCA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DAL airport
- If your dates flex, January (86.9% on-time) beats May (70.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
- 4 other routes post a similar 76.6% 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.
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.