PlainFlights

Route · DCA → SDF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Louisville

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to SDF (Washington to Louisville) ranks #2437 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.1%
On-time
+3.1 pts
vs US avg
74 min
Delay when late
5,135
Flights
#2437 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

4.7%

Best Month

Oct 2024 92%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 59%

Distance

474 mi

Carriers

10

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 63 26 5 0 YX,OH
Nov 2025 84 23 5 0 OH,YX
Oct 2025 93 12 0 0 OH,YX
Sep 2025 90 18 0 0 OH,YX
Aug 2025 88 26 5 0 YX,OH
Jul 2025 88 25 22 1 OH,YX
Jun 2025 86 34 12 0 OH,YX
May 2025 90 29 5 0 AA,OH,YX
Apr 2025 78 23 0 0 OH,YX
Mar 2025 88 28 3 1 OH,YX
Feb 2025 81 30 13 0 OH,YX
Jan 2025 82 23 8 0 OH,YX
Dec 2024 67 10 3 0 OH,YX
Nov 2024 83 7 0 0 YX,OH
Oct 2024 89 7 0 0 MQ,YX,OH
Sep 2024 86 7 1 0 YX,OH,MQ
Aug 2024 87 23 3 0 YX,OH
Jul 2024 84 30 3 0 OH,YX
Jun 2024 81 13 0 0 OH,YX
May 2024 90 22 0 0 AA,MQ,OH,YX
Apr 2024 82 11 1 0 OH,YX
Mar 2024 88 12 0 0 OH,YX
Feb 2024 81 8 0 1 OH,YX
Jan 2024 80 10 6 0 YX,OH

DCA–SDF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (90.7%) · weakest: July (70.7%)

65%70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79%

Strongest calendar month

October

90.7% on-time · ~82 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~93 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

70.7% on-time · ~74 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

4.7%

95 of 2,009 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

3 of 2,009 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

SDF - Louisville

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Louisville, KY.

SDF on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DCA vs SDF

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: Louisville · fleet on-time rank #2305 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to SDF

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Louisville (DCA to SDF) running a 82.1% on-time rate over 5,135 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 73.6 minutes. The 474-mile corridor is served by 10 carriers, and over the last 24 months 4.7% of 2,009 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 59% - a 33-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–SDF peaks in October at 90.7% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~93 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 70.7%, a 20.0-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to SDF rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to SDF ranks #2437 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 SDF? ▼
Flights from Washington to Louisville have a 82.1% on-time rate based on 5,135 flights. The average delay is 73.6 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to SDF? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 4.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (95 of 2,009 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to SDF? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Louisville (SDF) is approximately 474 miles. This route is served by 10 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to SDF? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (92% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (59% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
SDF Airport

Louisville
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–SDF data

DCA–SDF runs 3.1 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 SDF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (90.7% on-time) beats July (70.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.1% 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.