PlainFlights

Route · IAD → JFK · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to New York

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), IAD to JFK (Washington to New York) ranks #2983 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

81.5%
On-time
+2.5 pts
vs US avg
79 min
Delay when late
3,791
Flights
#2983 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

3.0%

Best Month

Oct 2024 92%

Worst Month

May 2024 53%

Distance

228 mi

Carriers

10

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Apr 2025 30 8 1 0 OO
Dec 2024 51 19 1 0 9E,OO
Nov 2024 60 18 0 0 OO,9E
Oct 2024 62 5 0 0 OO,9E
Sep 2024 60 11 0 0 OO,9E
Aug 2024 62 24 7 0 OO
Jul 2024 62 25 1 0 OO
Jun 2024 60 22 7 0 OO
May 2024 62 29 1 0 OO
Apr 2024 60 19 1 0 9E,OO,YX
Mar 2024 62 15 0 0 9E,YX,OO
Feb 2024 58 9 0 0 9E,OO
Jan 2024 56 13 2 0 9E,OO
Dec 2023 77 10 1 0 OO,YX,9E
Nov 2023 88 13 0 0 9E,OO
Oct 2023 70 12 0 0 9E,OO
Sep 2023 74 13 7 0 9E,OO
Aug 2023 62 9 1 0 9E,OO
Jul 2023 62 12 8 0 9E,OO
Jun 2023 65 14 5 0 9E,OO
May 2023 93 18 0 0 9E,OO
Apr 2023 99 18 4 0 OO,9E
Mar 2023 124 32 0 0 OO,9E
Feb 2023 112 16 3 0 9E,YX,OO

IAD–JFK seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (89.5%) · weakest: May (74.8%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 76.6%

Strongest calendar month

September

89.5% on-time · ~75 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~97 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

May

74.8% on-time · ~75 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

3.0%

50 of 1,671 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

0 of 1,671 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among IAD departures

From IAD, this corridor sits with 42 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 58 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (14 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 2 below 75%). Destination: New York · fleet on-time rank #2542 of 4927.

What the Data Says About IAD to JFK

3,791 tracked flights put the IAD to JFK pairing (Washington to New York) at a 81.5% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 79.4 minutes on average. Across the 228-mile route and its 10 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 3.0% cancelled and 0.0% diverted (1,671 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while May 2024 came in at just 53% - a 39-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, IAD–JFK peaks in September at 89.5% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~97 flights per month) ; the softest month is May at 74.8%, 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 IAD to JFK rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, IAD to JFK ranks #2983 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 JFK?
Flights from Washington to New York have a 81.5% on-time rate based on 3,791 flights. The average delay is 79.4 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for IAD to JFK?
Over the last 24 months, 3.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (50 of 1,671 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from IAD to JFK?
The flight distance from Washington (IAD) to New York (JFK) is approximately 228 miles. This route is served by 10 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from IAD to JFK?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (92% on-time). The worst was May 2024 (53% 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–JFK data

IAD–JFK is mid-pack at 81.5% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare IAD and JFK airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. IAD airport
  • If your dates flex, September (89.5% on-time) beats May (74.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 81.5% 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.