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Route · DCA → MSP · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Minneapolis

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to MSP (Washington to Minneapolis) ranks #803 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85.9%
On-time
+6.9 pts
vs US avg
84 min
Delay when late
13,012
Flights
#803 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.8%

Best Month

Feb 2024 95%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 68%

Distance

931 mi

Carriers

35

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 212 67 5 0 DL,YX,OH,MQ
Nov 2025 207 32 3 0 DL,MQ,OH
Oct 2025 224 28 1 1 AA,DL,OH,YX
Sep 2025 218 27 0 1 OH,DL,YX,AA
Aug 2025 203 45 4 1 YX,OH,DL
Jul 2025 203 52 10 0 OH,YX,DL
Jun 2025 196 50 7 1 DL,OH,YX
May 2025 198 36 1 1 DL,OH,YX,MQ
Apr 2025 194 49 2 0 DL,OH
Mar 2025 201 34 4 1 OH,DL
Feb 2025 186 57 9 0 DL,OH
Jan 2025 208 44 14 0 AA,DL,OH,YX
Dec 2024 203 32 0 0 DL,OH,YX
Nov 2024 196 16 0 1 YX,DL,OH,AA
Oct 2024 198 15 0 0 DL,YX,OH
Sep 2024 195 15 1 0 YX,OH,DL
Aug 2024 211 48 3 2 DL,OH
Jul 2024 212 55 14 1 DL,OH,YX
Jun 2024 201 46 1 4 DL,OH
May 2024 200 33 0 0 DL,OH
Apr 2024 172 21 0 0 AA,DL,OH,OO
Mar 2024 177 22 2 0 AA,DL,MQ,OH,OO
Feb 2024 166 9 0 0 DL,MQ,OH
Jan 2024 172 32 4 0 9E,DL,OH

DCA–MSP seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (91.8%) · weakest: July (79.4%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 82.6%

Strongest calendar month

October

91.8% on-time · ~193 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~193 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

79.4% on-time · ~182 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.8%

85 of 4,753 flights

Diversion Rate

0.3%

14 of 4,753 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

MSP - Minneapolis

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Minneapolis, MN.

MSP on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DCA vs MSP

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among DCA's stronger departures

DCA → MSP posts a 85.9% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 4 of 91 BTS-tracked routes leaving Washington. The same hub also shows 77 mid-band and 10 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #929 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About DCA to MSP

Washington to Minneapolis (DCA to MSP) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.9% on-time rate across 13,012 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 83.5 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 931 miles and is served by 35 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 85 of 4,753 flights were cancelled (1.8%) and 14 diverted (0.3%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 68% - a 26-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–MSP peaks in October at 91.8% on-time ; the softest month is July at 79.4%, a 12.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to MSP rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to MSP ranks #803 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 MSP? ▼
Flights from Washington to Minneapolis have a 85.9% on-time rate based on 13,012 flights. The average delay is 83.5 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to MSP? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.8% of flights on this route were cancelled (85 of 4,753 flights) and 0.3% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to MSP? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Minneapolis (MSP) is approximately 931 miles. This route is served by 35 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to MSP? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (95% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (68% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
MSP Airport

Minneapolis
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–MSP data

DCA–MSP runs 6.9 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 MSP airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (91.8% on-time) beats July (79.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85.9% 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.