PlainFlights

Route · MSY → TPA · 2020–2025 BTS data

New Orleans to Tampa

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MSY to TPA (New Orleans to Tampa) ranks #1909 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

81%
On-time
+2 pts
vs US avg
66 min
Delay when late
6,607
Flights
#1909 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.0%

Best Month

Jan 2025 90%

Worst Month

May 2024 64%

Distance

488 mi

Carriers

3

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 114 25 0 0 WN,NK
Nov 2025 111 22 1 0 NK,WN
Oct 2025 102 22 1 1 WN,NK
Sep 2025 63 7 1 0 WN,NK
Aug 2025 61 11 0 0 WN,NK
Jul 2025 73 18 1 1 NK,WN
Jun 2025 76 25 1 0 WN,NK
May 2025 87 19 0 0 NK,WN
Apr 2025 85 17 0 0 NK,WN
Mar 2025 115 17 3 0 NK,WN
Feb 2025 106 22 0 0 WN,NK
Jan 2025 98 10 8 0 WN,NK
Dec 2024 102 19 0 0 NK,WN
Nov 2024 122 13 0 0 NK,WN
Oct 2024 117 24 12 0 WN,NK
Sep 2024 77 9 9 0 WN,NK
Aug 2024 70 15 3 1 NK,WN
Jul 2024 91 24 1 0 NK,WN
Jun 2024 91 24 1 1 NK,WN
May 2024 95 34 0 0 NK,WN
Apr 2024 96 17 1 0 NK,WN
Mar 2024 129 41 3 0 NK,WN
Feb 2024 119 21 0 0 NK,WN
Jan 2024 102 22 0 0 NK,WN

MSY–TPA seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (87.9%) · weakest: June (73.0%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 78.8%

Strongest calendar month

September

87.9% on-time · ~71 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~114 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

73.0% on-time · ~83 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.0%

46 of 2,302 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

4 of 2,302 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among MSY departures

From MSY, this corridor sits with 28 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 34 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (5 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 1 below 75%). Destination: Tampa · fleet on-time rank #2751 of 4927.

What the Data Says About MSY to TPA

6,607 tracked flights put the MSY to TPA pairing (New Orleans to Tampa) at a 81% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 66.4 minutes on average. Across the 488-mile route and its 3 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 2.0% cancelled and 0.2% diverted (2,302 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Jan 2025 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while May 2024 came in at just 64% - a 26-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, MSY–TPA peaks in September at 87.9% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~114 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 73.0%, a 14.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does MSY to TPA rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, MSY to TPA ranks #1909 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 MSY to TPA?
Flights from New Orleans to Tampa have a 81% on-time rate based on 6,607 flights. The average delay is 66.4 minutes. The best recent month was Jan 2025 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for MSY to TPA?
Over the last 24 months, 2.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (46 of 2,302 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from MSY to TPA?
The flight distance from New Orleans (MSY) to Tampa (TPA) is approximately 488 miles. This route is served by 3 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from MSY to TPA?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Jan 2025 (90% on-time). The worst was May 2024 (64% 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 MSY–TPA data

MSY–TPA is mid-pack at 81% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare MSY and TPA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MSY airport
  • If your dates flex, September (87.9% on-time) beats June (73.0%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 81% 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.