PlainFlights

Route · DCA → PWM · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Portland

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to PWM (Washington to Portland) ranks #2023 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

78.5%
On-time
-0.5 pts
vs US avg
75 min
Delay when late
6,198
Flights
#2023 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

3.3%

Best Month

Oct 2024 85%

Worst Month

Dec 2024 59%

Distance

482 mi

Carriers

19

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 90 28 2 0 OH,AA
Nov 2025 88 14 0 2 OH,AA,YX
Oct 2025 121 39 2 0 AA,OH,YX
Sep 2025 116 32 0 0 OH,AA
Aug 2025 114 28 0 0 AA,YX,OH
Jul 2025 88 24 16 0 AA,OH,YX,MQ
Jun 2025 89 27 6 0 AA,OH,YX,MQ
May 2025 119 28 5 1 AA,OH,YX
Apr 2025 116 26 0 0 OH,YX,AA
Mar 2025 119 28 3 0 AA,OH,YX
Feb 2025 108 41 12 0 AA,OH
Jan 2025 120 24 17 1 AA,OH,YX
Dec 2024 113 46 1 0 AA,OH,YX
Nov 2024 111 22 1 0 MQ,YX,OH,AA
Oct 2024 123 18 0 0 MQ,YX,AA,OH
Sep 2024 114 18 0 0 YX,AA
Aug 2024 100 28 4 0 AA,MQ,OH,YX
Jul 2024 93 36 0 0 AA,OH,YX
Jun 2024 94 21 1 1 AA,OH,YX
May 2024 115 21 3 0 AA,OH,YX
Apr 2024 107 18 1 0 AA,OH,YX
Mar 2024 111 24 0 0 AA,OH,YX
Feb 2024 108 20 0 0 OH,YX
Jan 2024 110 27 12 0 AA,OH

DCA–PWM seasonal on-time pattern

Best: November (82.1%) · weakest: July (72.4%)

70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 72.7%

Strongest calendar month

November

82.1% on-time · ~95 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

January

~110 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

72.4% on-time · ~87 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

3.3%

86 of 2,587 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

5 of 2,587 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

PWM - Portland

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Portland, ME.

PWM on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DCA vs PWM

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: Portland · fleet on-time rank #3674 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to PWM

6,198 tracked flights put the DCA to PWM pairing (Washington to Portland) at a 78.5% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 74.7 minutes on average. Across the 482-mile route and its 19 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 3.3% cancelled and 0.2% diverted (2,587 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 85% on-time, while Dec 2024 came in at just 59% - a 26-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–PWM peaks in November at 82.1% on-time while January carries the heaviest traffic (~110 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 72.4%, a 9.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to PWM rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to PWM ranks #2023 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 PWM? ▼
Flights from Washington to Portland have a 78.5% on-time rate based on 6,198 flights. The average delay is 74.7 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 85% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to PWM? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 3.3% of flights on this route were cancelled (86 of 2,587 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to PWM? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Portland (PWM) is approximately 482 miles. This route is served by 19 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to PWM? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (85% on-time). The worst was Dec 2024 (59% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
PWM Airport

Portland
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–PWM data

DCA–PWM is mid-pack at 78.5% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DCA and PWM airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, November (82.1% on-time) beats July (72.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 78.5% 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.