PlainFlights

Route · DCA → BNA · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Nashville

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to BNA (Washington to Nashville) ranks #367 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.3%
On-time
+3.3 pts
vs US avg
70 min
Delay when late
19,093
Flights
#367 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.4%

Best Month

Oct 2024 92%

Worst Month

Feb 2025 59%

Distance

562 mi

Carriers

35

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 344 100 1 0 YX,OH,WN,AA
Nov 2025 360 84 7 0 MQ,OH,AA,WN,YX
Oct 2025 386 87 0 0 AA,OH,WN,YX,MQ
Sep 2025 338 54 0 1 MQ,WN,YX,AA
Aug 2025 346 53 6 0 AA,WN,YX,MQ,OH
Jul 2025 345 85 37 3 AA,OH,WN,YX,MQ
Jun 2025 341 106 15 3 AA,OH,WN,YX,MQ
May 2025 377 111 10 3 OH,WN,YX,MQ
Apr 2025 367 77 3 2 OH,WN,YX
Mar 2025 388 95 11 0 OH,WN,YX
Feb 2025 336 138 27 0 OH,WN,YX
Jan 2025 341 71 37 0 OH,WN,YX
Dec 2024 324 79 1 0 OH,WN,YX
Nov 2024 334 34 0 0 YX,WN,OH
Oct 2024 357 29 0 2 MQ,WN,YX,OH
Sep 2024 343 58 1 2 WN,YX,OH,AA,MQ
Aug 2024 354 67 4 0 AA,WN,YX,OH
Jul 2024 358 95 5 0 AA,OH,WN,YX
Jun 2024 346 60 2 1 AA,OH,WN,YX
May 2024 363 92 1 4 AA,OH,WN,YX
Apr 2024 346 52 1 0 AA,OH,WN,YX
Mar 2024 347 35 0 0 YX,OH,WN
Feb 2024 330 30 1 0 OH,WN,YX
Jan 2024 333 45 33 0 WN,YX,OH

DCA–BNA seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (88.8%) · weakest: July (74.1%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.4%

Strongest calendar month

October

88.8% on-time · ~290 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~290 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

74.1% on-time · ~261 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.4%

203 of 8,404 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

21 of 8,404 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: Nashville · fleet on-time rank #2224 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to BNA

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Nashville (DCA to BNA) running a 82.3% on-time rate over 19,093 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 69.6 minutes. The 562-mile corridor is served by 35 carriers, and over the last 24 months 2.4% of 8,404 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 59% - a 33-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–BNA peaks in October at 88.8% on-time ; the softest month is July at 74.1%, a 14.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to BNA rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to BNA ranks #367 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 BNA?
Flights from Washington to Nashville have a 82.3% on-time rate based on 19,093 flights. The average delay is 69.6 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to BNA?
Over the last 24 months, 2.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (203 of 8,404 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to BNA?
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Nashville (BNA) is approximately 562 miles. This route is served by 35 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to BNA?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (92% on-time). The worst was Feb 2025 (59% 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–BNA data

DCA–BNA runs 3.3 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare DCA and BNA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (88.8% on-time) beats July (74.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.3% 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.