PlainFlights

Route · DCA → CLT · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Charlotte

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to CLT (Washington to Charlotte) ranks #464 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.2%
On-time
+3.2 pts
vs US avg
95 min
Delay when late
17,252
Flights
#464 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.0%

Best Month

Feb 2024 86%

Worst Month

May 2024 62%

Distance

331 mi

Carriers

10

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 208 48 1 0 OH,AA
Nov 2025 206 45 1 0 OH,AA
Oct 2025 248 40 2 0 AA,OH
Sep 2025 239 48 4 2 OH,AA
Aug 2025 242 60 1 0 AA,OH
Jul 2025 245 70 23 0 AA,OH
Jun 2025 256 80 11 0 AA,OH
May 2025 279 65 8 0 AA,OH
Apr 2025 270 58 2 0 OH,AA
Mar 2025 309 54 6 0 AA,OH
Feb 2025 279 70 10 0 AA,OH
Jan 2025 302 48 25 0 AA,OH
Dec 2024 271 54 1 0 AA,OH
Nov 2024 263 40 0 0 OH,AA
Oct 2024 284 45 0 0 AA,OH
Sep 2024 297 54 2 0 OH,AA
Aug 2024 279 81 6 1 AA,OH
Jul 2024 264 91 9 1 AA,OH
Jun 2024 251 60 5 0 AA,OH
May 2024 275 105 2 1 AA,OH
Apr 2024 271 85 2 0 AA,OH
Mar 2024 279 61 0 0 AA,OH
Feb 2024 261 37 0 0 AA,OH
Jan 2024 262 64 4 0 AA,OH

DCA–CLT seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (87.1%) · weakest: July (76.0%)

75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 85%

Strongest calendar month

October

87.1% on-time · ~244 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~269 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

76.0% on-time · ~234 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.0%

125 of 6,340 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

5 of 6,340 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

CLT - Charlotte

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Charlotte, NC.

CLT on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DCA vs CLT

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: Charlotte · fleet on-time rank #2259 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to CLT

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Charlotte (DCA to CLT) running a 82.2% on-time rate over 17,252 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 94.6 minutes. The 331-mile corridor is served by 10 carriers, and over the last 24 months 2.0% of 6,340 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 86% on-time, while May 2024 came in at just 62% - a 24-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–CLT peaks in October at 87.1% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~269 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 76.0%, a 11.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to CLT rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to CLT ranks #464 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 CLT? ▼
Flights from Washington to Charlotte have a 82.2% on-time rate based on 17,252 flights. The average delay is 94.6 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 86% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to CLT? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 2.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (125 of 6,340 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to CLT? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Charlotte (CLT) is approximately 331 miles. This route is served by 10 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to CLT? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (86% on-time). The worst was May 2024 (62% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
CLT Airport

Charlotte
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–CLT data

DCA–CLT runs 3.2 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 CLT airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (87.1% on-time) beats July (76.0%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.2% 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.