PlainFlights

Route · DCA → BHM · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Birmingham

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to BHM (Washington to Birmingham) ranks #2593 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

76.9%
On-time
-2.1 pts
vs US avg
84 min
Delay when late
4,679
Flights
#2593 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

3.9%

Best Month

Mar 2024 88%

Worst Month

Feb 2025 56%

Distance

653 mi

Carriers

6

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 89 34 4 0 OH
Nov 2025 88 19 0 0 OH,YX
Oct 2025 92 23 0 0 OH,YX,MQ
Sep 2025 86 14 1 0 OH,YX
Aug 2025 87 18 2 0 YX,OH
Jul 2025 88 29 13 0 OH,YX
Jun 2025 86 29 7 1 OH,YX
May 2025 88 28 4 0 OH
Apr 2025 86 23 2 0 OH
Mar 2025 88 22 5 0 OH
Feb 2025 70 31 11 0 OH
Jan 2025 61 19 8 0 OH
Dec 2024 82 20 1 0 OH,YX
Nov 2024 82 11 0 0 YX,OH
Oct 2024 89 13 0 0 YX,OH
Sep 2024 85 19 1 0 YX,OH
Aug 2024 84 24 5 0 YX,OH
Jul 2024 84 28 5 0 OH,YX
Jun 2024 80 21 0 0 OH,YX
May 2024 85 26 1 0 OH,YX
Apr 2024 83 18 0 0 OH,YX
Mar 2024 82 10 1 0 OH,YX
Feb 2024 79 11 0 0 OH,YX
Jan 2024 81 21 7 0 YX,OH

DCA–BHM seasonal on-time pattern

Best: November (83.5%) · weakest: July (69.4%)

65%70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.1%

Strongest calendar month

November

83.5% on-time · ~84 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~86 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

69.4% on-time · ~76 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

3.9%

78 of 2,005 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

1 of 2,005 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: Birmingham · fleet on-time rank #4111 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to BHM

The Washington to Birmingham corridor (DCA to BHM) posts a 76.9% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 4,679 tracked flights. Late flights run 84.3 minutes behind on average. 6 carriers cover the 653-mile route; over the last 24 months, 78 of 2,005 flights were cancelled (3.9%) and 0.0% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Mar 2024 posted the strongest performance at 88% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 56% - a 32-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–BHM peaks in November at 83.5% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~86 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 69.4%, a 14.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to BHM rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to BHM ranks #2593 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 BHM?
Flights from Washington to Birmingham have a 76.9% on-time rate based on 4,679 flights. The average delay is 84.3 minutes. The best recent month was Mar 2024 with 88% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to BHM?
Over the last 24 months, 3.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (78 of 2,005 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to BHM?
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Birmingham (BHM) is approximately 653 miles. This route is served by 6 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to BHM?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Mar 2024 (88% on-time). The worst was Feb 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–BHM data

DCA–BHM is mid-pack at 76.9% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DCA and BHM airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, November (83.5% on-time) beats July (69.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 76.9% 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.