PlainFlights

Route · DCA → DEN · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Denver

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to DEN (Washington to Denver) ranks #1530 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

83%
On-time
+4 pts
vs US avg
90 min
Delay when late
8,051
Flights
#1530 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.9%

Best Month

Dec 2024 90%

Worst Month

Feb 2025 57%

Distance

1,476 mi

Carriers

2

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 114 30 0 1 F9,UA
Nov 2025 112 23 0 0 UA,F9
Oct 2025 115 14 1 0 UA,F9
Sep 2025 110 26 0 0 UA,F9
Aug 2025 115 25 0 1 F9,UA
Jul 2025 113 33 1 3 UA,F9
Jun 2025 109 28 0 1 UA,F9
May 2025 123 34 1 1 UA,F9
Apr 2025 120 33 0 1 F9,UA
Mar 2025 123 17 1 0 UA,F9
Feb 2025 112 48 0 0 UA,F9
Jan 2025 124 26 5 0 UA,F9
Dec 2024 124 12 0 0 F9,UA
Nov 2024 120 24 1 0 UA,F9
Oct 2024 124 26 0 0 UA,F9
Sep 2024 120 14 2 0 UA,F9
Aug 2024 124 36 2 2 F9,UA
Jul 2024 124 24 4 2 F9,UA
Jun 2024 119 25 2 0 F9,UA
May 2024 124 35 1 0 F9,UA
Apr 2024 120 25 2 0 F9,UA
Mar 2024 124 16 3 0 F9,UA
Feb 2024 116 15 0 0 F9,UA
Jan 2024 124 23 0 0 F9,UA

DCA–DEN seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (87.2%) · weakest: August (77.5%)

75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 82.8%

Strongest calendar month

October

87.2% on-time · ~117 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

January

~119 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

August

77.5% on-time · ~109 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.9%

26 of 2,853 flights

Diversion Rate

0.4%

12 of 2,853 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

DEN - Denver

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Denver, CO.

DEN on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DCA vs DEN

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: Denver · fleet on-time rank #1937 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to DEN

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Denver (DCA to DEN) running a 83% on-time rate over 8,051 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 90.2 minutes. The 1,476-mile corridor is served by 2 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.9% of 2,853 flights were cancelled, 0.4% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Dec 2024 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 57% - a 33-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–DEN peaks in October at 87.2% on-time while January carries the heaviest traffic (~119 flights per month) ; the softest month is August at 77.5%, a 9.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to DEN rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to DEN ranks #1530 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 DEN? ▼
Flights from Washington to Denver have a 83% on-time rate based on 8,051 flights. The average delay is 90.2 minutes. The best recent month was Dec 2024 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to DEN? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (26 of 2,853 flights) and 0.4% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to DEN? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Denver (DEN) is approximately 1,476 miles. This route is served by 2 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to DEN? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Dec 2024 (90% on-time). The worst was Feb 2025 (57% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
DEN Airport

Denver
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–DEN data

DCA–DEN runs 4 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 DEN airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (87.2% on-time) beats August (77.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 83% 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.