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Route · DEN → RDU · 2020–2025 BTS data

Denver to Raleigh/Durham

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DEN to RDU (Denver to Raleigh/Durham) ranks #1134 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

74.1%
On-time
-4.9 pts
vs US avg
60 min
Delay when late
10,168
Flights
#1134 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.5%

Best Month

Dec 2024 85%

Worst Month

Jul 2025 61%

Distance

1,436 mi

Carriers

13

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 147 29 0 0 WN,F9,UA
Nov 2025 137 24 0 0 UA,F9,WN
Oct 2025 136 37 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Sep 2025 133 39 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Aug 2025 162 47 2 1 WN,F9,UA
Jul 2025 183 71 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Jun 2025 179 68 0 0 UA,WN,F9
May 2025 149 54 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Apr 2025 145 39 1 0 F9,UA,WN
Mar 2025 147 26 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Feb 2025 120 27 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Jan 2025 141 32 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Dec 2024 148 22 0 0 F9,UA,WN
Nov 2024 151 38 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Oct 2024 155 32 1 0 UA,WN,F9
Sep 2024 153 30 0 0 WN,UA,F9
Aug 2024 169 50 2 0 F9,WN,UA
Jul 2024 185 46 3 1 F9,UA,WN
Jun 2024 179 47 0 0 F9,UA,WN
May 2024 160 50 0 0 F9,UA,WN
Apr 2024 147 39 0 0 F9,UA,WN
Mar 2024 166 43 3 0 F9,UA,WN
Feb 2024 131 41 0 0 F9,UA,WN
Jan 2024 145 46 6 2 F9,WN,UA

DEN–RDU seasonal on-time pattern

Best: November (80.2%) · weakest: June (65.5%)

60%65%70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 75.2%

Strongest calendar month

November

80.2% on-time · ~140 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~164 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

65.5% on-time · ~154 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.5%

18 of 3,668 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

4 of 3,668 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

DEN - Denver

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Denver, CO.

DEN on-time profile

RDU - Raleigh/Durham

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Raleigh/Durham, NC.

RDU on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See DEN and RDU side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare DEN vs RDU

Origin-hub reliability standing

Softer reliability from DEN

Among 168 routes leaving DEN, only 27 (including this one) clear below 75% on-time, while 8 stay ≥85% and 133 sit mid-band. Travelers comparing DEN options should weigh this 74.1% print against those peers · fleet on-time rank #4589 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DEN to RDU

On-time performance on the DEN to RDU pairing (Denver to Raleigh/Durham) trails a chunk of the network: 74.1% of 10,168 tracked flights arrived on schedule, with a 59.7-minute average delay on the ones that ran late. The route spans about 1,436 miles across 13 carriers. Cancellations over the trailing 24 months hit 0.5% (18 of 3,668 flights), with 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Dec 2024 posted the strongest performance at 85% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 61% - a 24-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DEN–RDU peaks in November at 80.2% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~164 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 65.5%, a 14.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DEN to RDU rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DEN to RDU ranks #1134 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 DEN to RDU? ▼
Flights from Denver to Raleigh/Durham have a 74.1% on-time rate based on 10,168 flights. The average delay is 59.7 minutes. The best recent month was Dec 2024 with 85% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DEN to RDU? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.5% of flights on this route were cancelled (18 of 3,668 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DEN to RDU? ▼
The flight distance from Denver (DEN) to Raleigh/Durham (RDU) is approximately 1,436 miles. This route is served by 13 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DEN to RDU? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Dec 2024 (85% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (61% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DEN Airport

Denver
RDU Airport

Raleigh/Durham
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 DEN–RDU data

DEN–RDU sits 4.9 pts below the national 79% average; check the seasonal chart and airport profiles before treating the headline as typical.

  • Compare DEN and RDU airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DEN airport
  • If your dates flex, November (80.2% on-time) beats June (65.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 74.1% 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.