PlainFlights

Route · DCA → PBI · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to PBI (Washington to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach) ranks #1442 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

78.1%
On-time
-0.9 pts
vs US avg
75 min
Delay when late
8,447
Flights
#1442 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.4%

Best Month

Oct 2024 88%

Worst Month

May 2025 65%

Distance

857 mi

Carriers

16

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 190 61 0 0 B6,AA
Nov 2025 168 41 2 0 AA,B6
Oct 2025 119 29 0 1 AA,B6
Sep 2025 96 27 0 0 AA,B6
Aug 2025 116 31 1 0 AA,OH,B6
Jul 2025 113 34 6 1 AA,B6,OH,YX
Jun 2025 112 37 1 0 AA,B6,OH,YX
May 2025 123 43 0 0 AA,B6
Apr 2025 181 35 0 0 YX,AA,B6
Mar 2025 188 54 1 0 AA,B6,OH,YX,MQ
Feb 2025 165 41 7 1 AA,B6,OH,YX,MQ
Jan 2025 168 35 10 0 AA,B6,OH,YX,MQ
Dec 2024 152 39 0 0 AA,B6,YX
Nov 2024 143 18 0 0 B6,AA
Oct 2024 119 14 6 0 B6,AA
Sep 2024 103 13 0 0 AA,B6
Aug 2024 114 29 2 0 AA,B6
Jul 2024 118 20 1 0 AA,B6
Jun 2024 118 19 3 2 AA,B6
May 2024 143 29 1 0 AA,B6,YX
Apr 2024 176 36 0 0 AA,B6
Mar 2024 179 47 1 0 AA,B6
Feb 2024 157 23 1 0 AA,B6,YX
Jan 2024 147 38 5 0 AA,B6,YX

DCA–PBI seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (82.8%) · weakest: December (73.4%)

70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 73.4%

Strongest calendar month

October

82.8% on-time · ~106 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~157 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

73.4% on-time · ~145 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.4%

48 of 3,408 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

5 of 3,408 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

PBI - West Palm Beach/Palm Beach

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for West Palm Beach/Palm Beach, FL.

PBI on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DCA vs PBI

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: West Palm Beach/Palm Beach · fleet on-time rank #3808 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to PBI

The Washington to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach corridor (DCA to PBI) posts a 78.1% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 8,447 tracked flights. Late flights run 75.2 minutes behind on average. 16 carriers cover the 857-mile route; over the last 24 months, 48 of 3,408 flights were cancelled (1.4%) and 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 88% on-time, while May 2025 came in at just 65% - a 23-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–PBI peaks in October at 82.8% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~157 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 73.4%, a 9.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to PBI rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to PBI ranks #1442 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 PBI? ▼
Flights from Washington to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach have a 78.1% on-time rate based on 8,447 flights. The average delay is 75.2 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 88% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to PBI? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (48 of 3,408 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to PBI? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to West Palm Beach/Palm Beach (PBI) is approximately 857 miles. This route is served by 16 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to PBI? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (88% on-time). The worst was May 2025 (65% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
PBI Airport

West Palm Beach/Palm Beach
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–PBI data

DCA–PBI is mid-pack at 78.1% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DCA and PBI airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (82.8% on-time) beats December (73.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 78.1% 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.