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Route · IAD → BUF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Buffalo

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), IAD to BUF (Washington to Buffalo) ranks #4920 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

86.1%
On-time
+7.1 pts
vs US avg
88 min
Delay when late
503
Flights
#4920 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

6.2%

Best Month

Feb 2022 87%

Worst Month

Mar 2022 85%

Distance

283 mi

Carriers

8

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Jul 2025 30 10 3 0 YX
May 2025 42 8 0 0 YX
Nov 2024 39 5 0 0 YX
Oct 2024 31 1 0 0 UA,YX
Apr 2024 30 8 0 0 YX
Oct 2022 31 3 0 0 YV
Apr 2022 30 5 0 0 YV
Mar 2022 52 8 0 0 UA,YV,YX
Feb 2022 54 7 4 0 YV,YX,UA
Jan 2022 31 6 5 0 UA,YV
Oct 2021 56 8 0 0 UA,YV,YX
Aug 2020 30 0 0 0 YV,YX
Apr 2020 47 1 19 0 OO,YV

IAD–BUF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: August (100.0%) · weakest: July (66.7%)

60%70%80%90%100%110% JanFebMarAprMayJulAugOctNov 87.2%

Strongest calendar month

August

100.0% on-time · ~30 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

February

~54 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

66.7% on-time · ~30 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

6.2%

31 of 503 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

0 of 503 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

IAD - Washington

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

IAD on-time profile

BUF - Buffalo

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Buffalo, NY.

BUF on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See IAD and BUF side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare IAD vs BUF

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among IAD's stronger departures

IAD → BUF posts a 86.1% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 14 of 58 BTS-tracked routes leaving Washington. The same hub also shows 42 mid-band and 2 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #874 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About IAD to BUF

Washington to Buffalo (IAD to BUF) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 86.1% on-time rate across 503 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 87.9 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 283 miles and is served by 8 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 31 of 503 flights were cancelled (6.2%) and 0 diverted (0.0%).

Monthly on-time rates stay fairly consistent on this route, ranging from 85% in Mar 2022 to 87% in Feb 2022 - only a 2-point spread.

On the multi-year calendar, IAD–BUF peaks in August at 100.0% on-time while February carries the heaviest traffic (~54 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 66.7%, a 33.3-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does IAD to BUF rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, IAD to BUF ranks #4920 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 IAD to BUF? ▼
Flights from Washington to Buffalo have a 86.1% on-time rate based on 503 flights. The average delay is 87.9 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2022 with 87% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for IAD to BUF? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 6.2% of flights on this route were cancelled (31 of 503 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from IAD to BUF? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (IAD) to Buffalo (BUF) is approximately 283 miles. This route is served by 8 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from IAD to BUF? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2022 (87% on-time). The worst was Mar 2022 (85% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

IAD Airport

Washington
BUF Airport

Buffalo
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 IAD–BUF data

IAD–BUF runs 7.1 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare IAD and BUF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. IAD airport
  • If your dates flex, August (100.0% on-time) beats July (66.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 86.1% 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.