PlainFlights

Route · DCA → MEM · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Memphis

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to MEM (Washington to Memphis) ranks #2197 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

81.7%
On-time
+2.7 pts
vs US avg
67 min
Delay when late
5,709
Flights
#2197 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.7%

Best Month

Oct 2024 95%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 55%

Distance

762 mi

Carriers

15

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 86 31 2 0 YX,OH,MQ
Nov 2025 88 16 3 0 OH,AA,YX
Oct 2025 116 24 0 0 OH,YX,MQ
Sep 2025 115 20 0 0 OH,YX
Aug 2025 118 31 2 0 YX,OH
Jul 2025 115 27 9 1 OH,YX
Jun 2025 115 28 14 0 OH,YX
May 2025 131 35 5 0 OH,YX
Apr 2025 112 24 1 1 OH,YX
Mar 2025 87 9 1 0 OH,YX
Feb 2025 78 24 7 0 OH,YX,MQ
Jan 2025 84 24 8 0 OH,YX,MQ
Dec 2024 82 18 1 0 OH,YX
Nov 2024 81 12 0 0 YX,OH
Oct 2024 88 4 0 0 YX,OH
Sep 2024 85 21 0 0 YX,OH
Aug 2024 84 21 1 0 YX,OH
Jul 2024 89 40 1 0 OH,YX
Jun 2024 85 15 0 0 OH,YX
May 2024 88 11 0 0 MQ,OH,YX
Apr 2024 81 8 0 0 MQ,YX
Mar 2024 83 9 0 0 MQ,OH,YX
Feb 2024 81 5 0 0 MQ,OH,YX
Jan 2024 84 14 6 0 MQ,YX,OH

DCA–MEM seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (88.2%) · weakest: July (72.5%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.7%

Strongest calendar month

October

88.2% on-time · ~98 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

May

~113 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

72.5% on-time · ~88 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.7%

61 of 2,256 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

2 of 2,256 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: Memphis · fleet on-time rank #2464 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to MEM

5,709 tracked flights put the DCA to MEM pairing (Washington to Memphis) at a 81.7% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 67.3 minutes on average. Across the 762-mile route and its 15 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 2.7% cancelled and 0.1% diverted (2,256 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 55% - a 40-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–MEM peaks in October at 88.2% on-time while May carries the heaviest traffic (~113 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 72.5%, a 15.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to MEM rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to MEM ranks #2197 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 MEM?
Flights from Washington to Memphis have a 81.7% on-time rate based on 5,709 flights. The average delay is 67.3 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to MEM?
Over the last 24 months, 2.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (61 of 2,256 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to MEM?
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Memphis (MEM) is approximately 762 miles. This route is served by 15 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to MEM?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (95% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (55% 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–MEM data

DCA–MEM is mid-pack at 81.7% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DCA and MEM airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (88.2% on-time) beats July (72.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 81.7% 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.