PlainFlights

Route · IAD → RDU · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Raleigh/Durham

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), IAD to RDU (Washington to Raleigh/Durham) ranks #2058 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.4%
On-time
+5.4 pts
vs US avg
71 min
Delay when late
6,042
Flights
#2058 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.1%

Best Month

Feb 2024 99%

Worst Month

Sep 2024 72%

Distance

224 mi

Carriers

10

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 120 28 0 0 YX,UA
Nov 2025 118 20 1 0 UA,YX
Oct 2025 119 17 0 1 UA,YX
Sep 2025 140 17 1 0 UA,YX
Aug 2025 107 14 1 0 YX,UA
Jul 2025 79 12 4 0 UA,YX
Jun 2025 127 35 3 0 UA,YX
May 2025 143 40 2 2 UA,YX
Apr 2025 89 11 0 0 UA,YX
Mar 2025 72 6 0 0 YX,UA
Feb 2025 42 8 0 0 UA,YX
Jan 2025 69 9 4 0 YX,UA
Dec 2024 88 10 0 0 UA,YX
Nov 2024 114 9 0 0 YX,UA
Oct 2024 72 4 0 0 UA,YX
Sep 2024 60 17 0 1 YX,UA
Aug 2024 62 16 1 0 YX,UA
Jul 2024 66 10 5 0 UA,YX
Jun 2024 53 12 0 0 UA
May 2024 74 13 0 1 UA
Apr 2024 69 8 0 0 UA
Mar 2024 89 7 0 0 YX,UA
Feb 2024 74 1 1 0 UA,YX
Jan 2024 38 11 0 0 YX,UA

IAD–RDU seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (90.5%) · weakest: August (76.4%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 83.4%

Strongest calendar month

October

90.5% on-time · ~97 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~97 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

August

76.4% on-time · ~93 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.1%

23 of 2,084 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

5 of 2,084 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: Raleigh/Durham · fleet on-time rank #1431 of 4927.

What the Data Says About IAD to RDU

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Raleigh/Durham (IAD to RDU) running a 84.4% on-time rate over 6,042 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 70.5 minutes. The 224-mile corridor is served by 10 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.1% of 2,084 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 99% on-time, while Sep 2024 came in at just 72% - a 27-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, IAD–RDU peaks in October at 90.5% on-time ; the softest month is August at 76.4%, a 14.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does IAD to RDU rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, IAD to RDU ranks #2058 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 RDU?
Flights from Washington to Raleigh/Durham have a 84.4% on-time rate based on 6,042 flights. The average delay is 70.5 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 99% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for IAD to RDU?
Over the last 24 months, 1.1% of flights on this route were cancelled (23 of 2,084 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from IAD to RDU?
The flight distance from Washington (IAD) to Raleigh/Durham (RDU) is approximately 224 miles. This route is served by 10 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from IAD to RDU?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (99% on-time). The worst was Sep 2024 (72% 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–RDU data

IAD–RDU runs 5.4 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 RDU airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. IAD airport
  • If your dates flex, October (90.5% on-time) beats August (76.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.4% 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.