PlainFlights

Route · IAD → CLE · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Cleveland

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), IAD to CLE (Washington to Cleveland) ranks #2462 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85.6%
On-time
+6.6 pts
vs US avg
73 min
Delay when late
5,046
Flights
#2462 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.9%

Best Month

Mar 2024 97%

Worst Month

Aug 2024 63%

Distance

288 mi

Carriers

9

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 74 15 3 0 YX,UA
Nov 2025 83 9 1 0 UA,YX
Oct 2025 112 10 0 0 UA,YX
Sep 2025 97 13 0 0 UA,YX
Aug 2025 90 14 1 0 YX,UA
Jul 2025 55 20 3 0 UA,YX
Jun 2025 115 26 1 1 UA,YX
May 2025 124 16 0 0 UA,YX
Apr 2025 77 7 0 0 UA,YX
Mar 2025 55 3 0 0 YX,UA
Feb 2025 51 7 0 1 UA,YX
Jan 2025 58 9 2 0 YX,UA
Dec 2024 30 6 0 0 UA,YX
Nov 2024 53 9 0 0 YX,UA
Oct 2024 56 4 0 0 UA,YX
Sep 2024 36 5 0 0 YX,UA
Aug 2024 52 19 2 0 YX,UA
Jul 2024 61 20 2 0 UA,YX
Jun 2024 38 8 0 0 UA,YX
May 2024 33 6 0 0 UA
Apr 2024 52 2 0 0 UA
Mar 2024 71 2 0 0 YX,UA
Feb 2024 67 6 0 0 UA,YX
Oct 2023 109 8 0 0 UA

IAD–CLE seasonal on-time pattern

Best: March (91.6%) · weakest: July (72.5%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 85.2%

Strongest calendar month

March

91.6% on-time · ~81 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~91 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

72.5% on-time · ~76 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.9%

15 of 1,649 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

2 of 1,649 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among IAD's stronger departures

IAD → CLE posts a 85.6% 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 #1021 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About IAD to CLE

Washington to Cleveland (IAD to CLE) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.6% on-time rate across 5,046 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 73.0 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 288 miles and is served by 9 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 15 of 1,649 flights were cancelled (0.9%) and 2 diverted (0.1%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Mar 2024 posted the strongest performance at 97% on-time, while Aug 2024 came in at just 63% - a 34-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, IAD–CLE peaks in March at 91.6% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~91 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 72.5%, a 19.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does IAD to CLE rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, IAD to CLE ranks #2462 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 CLE?
Flights from Washington to Cleveland have a 85.6% on-time rate based on 5,046 flights. The average delay is 73.0 minutes. The best recent month was Mar 2024 with 97% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for IAD to CLE?
Over the last 24 months, 0.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (15 of 1,649 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from IAD to CLE?
The flight distance from Washington (IAD) to Cleveland (CLE) is approximately 288 miles. This route is served by 9 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from IAD to CLE?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Mar 2024 (97% on-time). The worst was Aug 2024 (63% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Using IAD–CLE data

IAD–CLE runs 6.6 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 CLE airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. IAD airport
  • If your dates flex, March (91.6% on-time) beats July (72.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85.6% 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.