PlainFlights

Route · IAD → ORF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Norfolk

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), IAD to ORF (Washington to Norfolk) ranks #2878 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.9%
On-time
+3.9 pts
vs US avg
69 min
Delay when late
4,054
Flights
#2878 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.6%

Best Month

Oct 2024 97%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 71%

Distance

157 mi

Carriers

12

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 76 22 1 0 YX,UA
Nov 2025 65 14 4 0 UA,YX
Oct 2025 38 5 0 0 UA,YX
Sep 2025 68 3 0 0 UA,YX
Aug 2025 84 11 1 0 YX,UA
Jul 2025 44 11 4 0 UA,YX
May 2025 47 12 1 0 UA,YX
Apr 2025 66 13 0 0 UA,YX
Mar 2025 46 8 0 0 YX,UA
Dec 2024 49 13 0 0 UA,YX
Nov 2024 86 11 0 0 YX,UA
Oct 2024 77 2 1 0 UA,YX
Sep 2024 38 2 0 0 YX,UA
Aug 2024 34 8 2 0 UA
Jul 2024 35 12 0 0 UA
Jun 2024 31 11 1 0 UA
May 2024 73 14 3 0 YX,UA
Apr 2024 82 13 1 0 UA,YX
Mar 2024 56 8 0 0 YX,UA
Feb 2024 42 3 0 0 UA,YX
Oct 2023 111 11 1 0 YX,UA
Sep 2023 111 20 4 0 UA,YX
Aug 2023 98 17 0 1 UA,YX
Jul 2023 73 21 1 0 YX,UA

IAD–ORF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (89.1%) · weakest: July (70.3%)

65%70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 75.8%

Strongest calendar month

September

89.1% on-time · ~75 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~81 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

70.3% on-time · ~65 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.6%

25 of 1,530 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

1 of 1,530 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: Norfolk · fleet on-time rank #1988 of 4927.

What the Data Says About IAD to ORF

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Norfolk (IAD to ORF) running a 82.9% on-time rate over 4,054 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 68.8 minutes. The 157-mile corridor is served by 12 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.6% of 1,530 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 97% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 71% - a 26-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, IAD–ORF peaks in September at 89.1% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~81 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 70.3%, a 18.8-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does IAD to ORF rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, IAD to ORF ranks #2878 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 ORF?
Flights from Washington to Norfolk have a 82.9% on-time rate based on 4,054 flights. The average delay is 68.8 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 97% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for IAD to ORF?
Over the last 24 months, 1.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (25 of 1,530 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from IAD to ORF?
The flight distance from Washington (IAD) to Norfolk (ORF) is approximately 157 miles. This route is served by 12 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from IAD to ORF?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (97% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (71% 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–ORF data

IAD–ORF runs 3.9 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 ORF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. IAD airport
  • If your dates flex, September (89.1% on-time) beats July (70.3%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.9% 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.