PlainFlights

Route · DCA → ORF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Norfolk

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to ORF (Washington to Norfolk) ranks #2018 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

75.8%
On-time
-3.2 pts
vs US avg
77 min
Delay when late
6,231
Flights
#2018 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

3.6%

Best Month

Jun 2024 85%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 51%

Distance

142 mi

Carriers

7

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 65 32 2 0 OH
Nov 2025 88 32 3 0 OH
Oct 2025 93 35 0 0 OH
Sep 2025 90 23 3 0 OH,YX
Aug 2025 92 29 2 0 YX,MQ,OH
Jul 2025 88 34 10 0 OH
Jun 2025 99 35 11 1 OH,YX
May 2025 93 30 4 0 OH,MQ
Apr 2025 90 24 2 0 OH
Mar 2025 93 23 2 0 OH,YX
Feb 2025 94 44 12 0 OH,YX
Jan 2025 121 33 15 1 OH,YX
Dec 2024 134 33 4 0 OH,YX
Nov 2024 134 21 0 0 OH
Oct 2024 116 23 0 0 OH
Sep 2024 114 27 1 1 YX,OH
Aug 2024 100 23 6 0 YX,OH
Jul 2024 89 24 2 0 OH
Jun 2024 101 15 2 0 MQ,OH,YX
May 2024 89 27 0 1 MQ,OH
Apr 2024 89 16 0 1 OH
Mar 2024 114 25 0 0 OH,YX
Feb 2024 106 21 0 0 OH,YX
Jan 2024 107 23 5 0 YX,OH

DCA–ORF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (81.2%) · weakest: July (70.2%)

65%70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 76%

Strongest calendar month

April

81.2% on-time · ~84 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

January

~107 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

70.2% on-time · ~87 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

3.6%

86 of 2,399 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

5 of 2,399 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

ORF - Norfolk

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Norfolk, VA.

ORF on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DCA vs ORF

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: Norfolk · fleet on-time rank #4341 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to ORF

The Washington to Norfolk corridor (DCA to ORF) posts a 75.8% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 6,231 tracked flights. Late flights run 77.2 minutes behind on average. 7 carriers cover the 142-mile route; over the last 24 months, 86 of 2,399 flights were cancelled (3.6%) and 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Jun 2024 posted the strongest performance at 85% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 51% - a 34-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–ORF peaks in April at 81.2% on-time while January carries the heaviest traffic (~107 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 70.2%, a 11.0-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to ORF rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to ORF ranks #2018 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 ORF? ▼
Flights from Washington to Norfolk have a 75.8% on-time rate based on 6,231 flights. The average delay is 77.2 minutes. The best recent month was Jun 2024 with 85% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to ORF? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 3.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (86 of 2,399 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to ORF? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Norfolk (ORF) is approximately 142 miles. This route is served by 7 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to ORF? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Jun 2024 (85% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (51% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
ORF Airport

Norfolk
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–ORF data

DCA–ORF is mid-pack at 75.8% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DCA and ORF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, April (81.2% on-time) beats July (70.2%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 75.8% 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.