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Route · MEM → DCA · 2020–2025 BTS data

Memphis to Washington

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MEM to DCA (Memphis to Washington) ranks #2198 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.1%
On-time
+3.1 pts
vs US avg
81 min
Delay when late
5,709
Flights
#2198 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.9%

Best Month

Oct 2024 95%

Worst Month

Feb 2025 66%

Distance

762 mi

Carriers

15

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 87 18 2 0 YX,OH
Nov 2025 88 20 1 1 MQ,OH,YX
Oct 2025 116 25 0 2 OH,YX,MQ
Sep 2025 115 25 0 1 OH,YX
Aug 2025 116 25 4 0 YX,OH
Jul 2025 115 29 15 2 OH,YX
Jun 2025 115 31 10 0 OH,YX
May 2025 131 28 6 1 OH,YX
Apr 2025 113 29 1 0 OH,YX
Mar 2025 87 12 3 0 OH,YX
Feb 2025 77 26 5 1 OH,YX,MQ
Jan 2025 84 15 7 1 OH,YX,MQ
Dec 2024 82 13 0 0 OH,YX
Nov 2024 82 5 0 1 YX,OH
Oct 2024 88 4 0 0 YX,OH
Sep 2024 84 7 1 0 YX,OH
Aug 2024 84 14 3 3 YX,OH
Jul 2024 89 29 0 0 OH,YX
Jun 2024 86 12 0 0 OH,YX
May 2024 88 13 1 0 MQ,OH,YX
Apr 2024 82 13 1 1 MQ,YX
Mar 2024 82 10 0 0 MQ,OH,YX
Feb 2024 81 9 0 0 MQ,OH,YX
Jan 2024 85 15 5 0 MQ,YX,OH

MEM–DCA seasonal on-time pattern

Best: March (86.2%) · weakest: July (75.8%)

75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.3%

Strongest calendar month

March

86.2% on-time · ~93 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

May

~113 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

75.8% on-time · ~88 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.9%

65 of 2,257 flights

Diversion Rate

0.6%

14 of 2,257 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

MEM - Memphis

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Memphis, TN.

MEM on-time profile

DCA - Washington

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

DCA on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See MEM and DCA side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare MEM vs DCA

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among MEM departures

From MEM, this corridor sits with 14 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 22 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (7 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 1 below 75%). Destination: Washington · fleet on-time rank #2315 of 4927.

What the Data Says About MEM to DCA

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Memphis to Washington (MEM to DCA) running a 82.1% on-time rate over 5,709 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 81.0 minutes. The 762-mile corridor is served by 15 carriers, and over the last 24 months 2.9% of 2,257 flights were cancelled, 0.6% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 66% - a 29-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, MEM–DCA peaks in March at 86.2% on-time while May carries the heaviest traffic (~113 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 75.8%, a 10.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does MEM to DCA rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, MEM to DCA ranks #2198 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 MEM to DCA? ▼
Flights from Memphis to Washington have a 82.1% on-time rate based on 5,709 flights. The average delay is 81.0 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for MEM to DCA? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 2.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (65 of 2,257 flights) and 0.6% were diverted.
How far is the flight from MEM to DCA? ▼
The flight distance from Memphis (MEM) to Washington (DCA) is approximately 762 miles. This route is served by 15 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from MEM to DCA? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (95% on-time). The worst was Feb 2025 (66% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

MEM Airport

Memphis
DCA Airport

Washington
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 MEM–DCA data

MEM–DCA runs 3.1 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare MEM and DCA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MEM airport
  • If your dates flex, March (86.2% on-time) beats July (75.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.1% 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.