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Route · DSM → DCA · 2020–2025 BTS data

Des Moines to Washington

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DSM to DCA (Des Moines to Washington) ranks #3091 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
80 min
Delay when late
3,549
Flights
#3091 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

4.4%

Best Month

Apr 2025 91%

Worst Month

Feb 2025 65%

Distance

897 mi

Carriers

15

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 47 10 5 0 YX,OH,MQ
Nov 2025 55 10 2 0 MQ,OH,YX
Oct 2025 62 14 0 0 OH,YX
Sep 2025 60 17 0 1 OH,YX
Aug 2025 62 12 2 1 YX,MQ,OH
Jul 2025 61 12 11 2 AA,OH,YX,MQ
Jun 2025 59 18 3 0 OH,YX,MQ
May 2025 61 14 1 1 OH
Apr 2025 56 5 4 0 OH
Mar 2025 62 10 7 0 OH
Feb 2025 55 19 11 1 OH
Jan 2025 56 14 5 0 OH,MQ
Dec 2024 47 17 0 1 OH
Nov 2024 54 7 0 0 OH
Oct 2024 61 9 0 0 MQ,YX,OH
Sep 2024 60 10 0 0 YX,OH,MQ
Aug 2024 62 12 1 1 MQ,YX,OH
Jul 2024 62 16 1 1 YX
Jun 2024 60 14 0 0 MQ,OH,YX
May 2024 62 19 0 1 MQ,OH
Apr 2024 59 6 0 0 OH,YX
Mar 2024 61 11 0 0 OH,YX
Feb 2024 58 12 0 0 OH
Jan 2024 62 20 9 0 OH

DSM–DCA seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (88.3%) · weakest: January (73.4%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 76.1%

Strongest calendar month

April

88.3% on-time · ~58 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

May

~69 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

January

73.4% on-time · ~63 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

4.4%

62 of 1,404 flights

Diversion Rate

0.7%

10 of 1,404 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

DSM - Des Moines

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Des Moines, IA.

DSM on-time profile

DCA - Washington

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Washington, DC.

DCA on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare DSM vs DCA

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among DSM departures

From DSM, this corridor sits with 7 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 13 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (6 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Washington · fleet on-time rank #2308 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DSM to DCA

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Des Moines to Washington (DSM to DCA) running a 82.1% on-time rate over 3,549 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 79.6 minutes. The 897-mile corridor is served by 15 carriers, and over the last 24 months 4.4% of 1,404 flights were cancelled, 0.7% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Apr 2025 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 65% - a 26-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DSM–DCA peaks in April at 88.3% on-time while May carries the heaviest traffic (~69 flights per month) ; the softest month is January at 73.4%, a 14.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DSM to DCA rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DSM to DCA ranks #3091 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 DSM to DCA? ▼
Flights from Des Moines to Washington have a 82.1% on-time rate based on 3,549 flights. The average delay is 79.6 minutes. The best recent month was Apr 2025 with 91% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DSM to DCA? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 4.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (62 of 1,404 flights) and 0.7% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DSM to DCA? ▼
The flight distance from Des Moines (DSM) to Washington (DCA) is approximately 897 miles. This route is served by 15 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DSM to DCA? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Apr 2025 (91% on-time). The worst was Feb 2025 (65% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DSM Airport

Des Moines
DCA Airport

Washington
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 DSM–DCA data

DSM–DCA 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 DSM and DCA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DSM airport
  • If your dates flex, April (88.3% on-time) beats January (73.4%) 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.