PlainFlights

Route · DCA → BDL · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Hartford

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to BDL (Washington to Hartford) ranks #1289 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

78.1%
On-time
-0.9 pts
vs US avg
70 min
Delay when late
9,237
Flights
#1289 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

3.3%

Best Month

Oct 2024 93%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 58%

Distance

313 mi

Carriers

21

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 130 54 5 0 YX,OH,AA
Nov 2025 135 50 1 0 OH,YX
Oct 2025 140 40 1 0 AA,OH,YX
Sep 2025 120 39 3 0 OH,YX,AA
Aug 2025 170 43 5 0 AA,YX,MQ,OH
Jul 2025 172 38 26 0 AA,OH,YX,MQ
Jun 2025 167 65 8 0 AA,OH,YX,MQ
May 2025 175 37 4 1 AA,OH,YX,MQ
Apr 2025 168 45 0 0 OH,AA
Mar 2025 172 41 5 1 AA,OH,YX
Feb 2025 158 58 17 0 AA,OH,YX
Jan 2025 169 50 15 0 AA,OH,YX
Dec 2024 157 35 2 0 AA,OH,YX
Nov 2024 165 31 0 0 MQ,YX,OH,AA
Oct 2024 177 12 0 0 MQ,YX,AA,OH
Sep 2024 171 30 0 0 YX,OH,AA,MQ
Aug 2024 167 42 8 0 AA,OH,YX
Jul 2024 169 54 11 0 AA,MQ,OH
Jun 2024 160 38 2 0 AA,MQ,OH
May 2024 170 49 0 0 AA,MQ,OH,YX
Apr 2024 161 32 0 0 AA,MQ,OH,YX
Mar 2024 165 34 1 0 AA,OH,YX
Feb 2024 156 17 2 0 AA,OH,YX
Jan 2024 155 34 11 0 AA,YX,OH

DCA–BDL seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (85.0%) · weakest: June (71.8%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 75.4%

Strongest calendar month

October

85.0% on-time · ~154 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~168 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

71.8% on-time · ~145 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

3.3%

127 of 3,849 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

2 of 3,849 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

DCA - Washington

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

DCA on-time profile

BDL - Hartford

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Hartford, CT.

BDL on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See DCA and BDL side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare DCA vs BDL

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: Hartford · fleet on-time rank #3807 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to BDL

The Washington to Hartford corridor (DCA to BDL) posts a 78.1% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 9,237 tracked flights. Late flights run 70.1 minutes behind on average. 21 carriers cover the 313-mile route; over the last 24 months, 127 of 3,849 flights were cancelled (3.3%) and 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 93% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 58% - a 35-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–BDL peaks in October at 85.0% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~168 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 71.8%, a 13.2-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to BDL rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to BDL ranks #1289 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 BDL? ▼
Flights from Washington to Hartford have a 78.1% on-time rate based on 9,237 flights. The average delay is 70.1 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 93% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to BDL? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 3.3% of flights on this route were cancelled (127 of 3,849 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to BDL? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Hartford (BDL) is approximately 313 miles. This route is served by 21 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to BDL? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (93% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (58% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
BDL Airport

Hartford
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 DCA–BDL data

DCA–BDL is mid-pack at 78.1% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DCA and BDL airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (85.0% on-time) beats June (71.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 78.1% 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.