PlainFlights

Route · DCA → ALB · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Albany

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to ALB (Washington to Albany) ranks #2133 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

77%
On-time
-2 pts
vs US avg
73 min
Delay when late
5,871
Flights
#2133 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

5.0%

Best Month

Feb 2024 90%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 56%

Distance

318 mi

Carriers

10

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 85 37 5 0 YX,OH
Nov 2025 84 23 3 0 OH,YX
Oct 2025 113 35 0 0 OH
Sep 2025 84 16 1 1 OH
Aug 2025 113 34 5 0 OH
Jul 2025 111 34 14 0 OH
Jun 2025 108 39 13 0 OH,MQ
May 2025 119 33 6 0 OH,MQ
Apr 2025 116 42 2 0 OH
Mar 2025 114 28 7 0 OH,YX
Feb 2025 104 37 16 1 OH,YX
Jan 2025 111 36 11 0 OH,YX
Dec 2024 97 29 4 0 OH,YX
Nov 2024 86 14 0 0 YX,OH
Oct 2024 119 17 0 0 OH
Sep 2024 116 14 1 0 OH
Aug 2024 114 25 9 0 OH
Jul 2024 115 34 12 0 MQ,OH
Jun 2024 109 23 2 0 MQ,OH,YX
May 2024 109 21 1 0 MQ,OH,YX
Apr 2024 86 22 1 0 MQ,OH
Mar 2024 88 11 2 0 OH,YX
Feb 2024 83 8 0 1 OH,YX
Jan 2024 86 17 8 0 YX,OH

DCA–ALB seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (85.5%) · weakest: July (70.6%)

65%70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 74.2%

Strongest calendar month

September

85.5% on-time · ~97 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~110 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

70.6% on-time · ~103 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

5.0%

123 of 2,470 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

3 of 2,470 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among DCA departures

From DCA, this corridor sits with 77 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 91 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (4 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 10 below 75%). Destination: Albany · fleet on-time rank #4082 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to ALB

The Washington to Albany corridor (DCA to ALB) posts a 77% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 5,871 tracked flights. Late flights run 73.4 minutes behind on average. 10 carriers cover the 318-mile route; over the last 24 months, 123 of 2,470 flights were cancelled (5.0%) and 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 56% - a 34-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–ALB peaks in September at 85.5% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~110 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 70.6%, 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 DCA to ALB rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to ALB ranks #2133 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 DCA to ALB?
Flights from Washington to Albany have a 77% on-time rate based on 5,871 flights. The average delay is 73.4 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to ALB?
Over the last 24 months, 5.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (123 of 2,470 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to ALB?
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Albany (ALB) is approximately 318 miles. This route is served by 10 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to ALB?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (90% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (56% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

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.

Using DCA–ALB data

DCA–ALB is mid-pack at 77% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DCA and ALB airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, September (85.5% on-time) beats July (70.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 77% 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.