PlainFlights

Route · DCA → CMH · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Columbus

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to CMH (Washington to Columbus) ranks #1191 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
67 min
Delay when late
9,836
Flights
#1191 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.6%

Best Month

Oct 2024 95%

Worst Month

Jun 2025 60%

Distance

323 mi

Carriers

21

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 149 49 5 1 YX,OH,WN,MQ
Nov 2025 166 43 6 0 MQ,OH,WN,YX
Oct 2025 173 32 0 0 OH,WN,YX,MQ
Sep 2025 171 19 2 0 MQ,OH,WN,YX
Aug 2025 181 42 4 0 WN,YX,MQ,OH
Jul 2025 180 48 17 1 OH,WN,YX,MQ
Jun 2025 176 70 10 0 OH,WN,YX,MQ
May 2025 176 50 6 0 OH,WN,YX,MQ
Apr 2025 173 48 2 0 MQ,OH,WN,YX
Mar 2025 179 29 4 0 OH,WN,YX,MQ
Feb 2025 156 32 16 0 OH,WN,YX,MQ
Jan 2025 166 38 10 0 OH,WN,YX,MQ
Dec 2024 151 29 2 0 MQ,OH,WN,YX
Nov 2024 167 21 0 0 MQ,WN,YX,OH
Oct 2024 173 8 2 0 MQ,WN,YX,OH
Sep 2024 169 15 0 0 WN,YX,MQ
Aug 2024 145 24 5 0 MQ,WN,YX,OH
Jul 2024 147 39 2 0 OH,WN,YX
Jun 2024 157 19 0 0 MQ,OH,WN,YX
May 2024 157 37 1 0 MQ,OH,WN,YX
Apr 2024 149 23 2 0 MQ,OH,WN,YX
Mar 2024 146 17 0 0 MQ,WN,YX
Feb 2024 151 12 0 0 MQ,OH,WN,YX
Jan 2024 161 31 6 0 MQ,WN,YX,OH

DCA–CMH seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (88.6%) · weakest: July (75.5%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 77.4%

Strongest calendar month

September

88.6% on-time · ~133 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

February

~163 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

75.5% on-time · ~133 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.6%

102 of 3,919 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

2 of 3,919 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: Columbus · fleet on-time rank #2225 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to CMH

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Columbus (DCA to CMH) running a 82.3% on-time rate over 9,836 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 66.7 minutes. The 323-mile corridor is served by 21 carriers, and over the last 24 months 2.6% of 3,919 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Jun 2025 came in at just 60% - a 35-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–CMH peaks in September at 88.6% on-time while February carries the heaviest traffic (~163 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 75.5%, a 13.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to CMH rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to CMH ranks #1191 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 CMH?
Flights from Washington to Columbus have a 82.3% on-time rate based on 9,836 flights. The average delay is 66.7 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to CMH?
Over the last 24 months, 2.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (102 of 3,919 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to CMH?
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Columbus (CMH) is approximately 323 miles. This route is served by 21 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to CMH?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (95% on-time). The worst was Jun 2025 (60% 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–CMH data

DCA–CMH 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 CMH airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, September (88.6% on-time) beats July (75.5%) 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.