PlainFlights

Route · DCA → EWR · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Newark

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to EWR (Washington to Newark) ranks #3377 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

83.2%
On-time
+4.2 pts
vs US avg
68 min
Delay when late
2,815
Flights
#3377 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

3.3%

Best Month

Oct 2023 93%

Worst Month

Dec 2022 72%

Distance

199 mi

Carriers

5

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 31 3 2 0 YX
Nov 2025 31 5 0 0 YX
Oct 2025 45 7 0 0 YX
Jun 2025 54 4 1 0 YX
May 2025 39 11 3 0 YX
Apr 2025 32 5 0 0 YX
Mar 2025 52 4 0 0 YX
Jan 2025 33 1 4 0 YX
Dec 2024 31 1 0 0 YX
Nov 2024 30 2 0 0 YX
Oct 2023 99 7 0 0 YX
Sep 2023 59 5 6 0 YX
Aug 2023 32 3 0 0 YX
Jul 2023 35 5 4 0 YX
Jun 2023 37 2 8 0 YX
May 2023 146 19 0 0 YX
Apr 2023 124 26 7 0 YX
Mar 2023 114 27 2 0 YX
Feb 2023 80 11 3 0 YX
Jan 2023 109 18 3 0 YX
Dec 2022 117 33 1 0 YX
Nov 2022 197 52 6 1 YX
Oct 2022 68 13 1 0 YX
Sep 2022 33 9 2 0 YX

DCA–EWR seasonal on-time pattern

Best: August (95.2%) · weakest: November (73.8%)

70%75%80%85%90%95%100% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 78.2%

Strongest calendar month

August

95.2% on-time · ~63 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

February

~103 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

November

73.8% on-time · ~73 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

3.3%

53 of 1,628 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

1 of 1,628 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: Newark · fleet on-time rank #1861 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to EWR

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Newark (DCA to EWR) running a 83.2% on-time rate over 2,815 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 68.2 minutes. The 199-mile corridor is served by 5 carriers, and over the last 24 months 3.3% of 1,628 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2023 posted the strongest performance at 93% on-time, while Dec 2022 came in at just 72% - a 21-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–EWR peaks in August at 95.2% on-time while February carries the heaviest traffic (~103 flights per month) ; the softest month is November at 73.8%, a 21.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to EWR rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to EWR ranks #3377 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 EWR?
Flights from Washington to Newark have a 83.2% on-time rate based on 2,815 flights. The average delay is 68.2 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2023 with 93% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to EWR?
Over the last 24 months, 3.3% of flights on this route were cancelled (53 of 1,628 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to EWR?
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Newark (EWR) is approximately 199 miles. This route is served by 5 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to EWR?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2023 (93% on-time). The worst was Dec 2022 (72% 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–EWR data

DCA–EWR runs 4.2 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 EWR airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, August (95.2% on-time) beats November (73.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 83.2% 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.