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Route · ORF → DCA · 2020–2025 BTS data

Norfolk to Washington

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ORF to DCA (Norfolk to Washington) ranks #2017 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

78.1%
On-time
-0.9 pts
vs US avg
83 min
Delay when late
6,235
Flights
#2017 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

3.3%

Best Month

Nov 2024 90%

Worst Month

Feb 2025 55%

Distance

142 mi

Carriers

7

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 65 22 2 0 OH
Nov 2025 88 36 2 0 OH
Oct 2025 93 37 0 0 OH
Sep 2025 89 18 0 0 OH,YX
Aug 2025 92 22 3 0 YX,MQ,OH
Jul 2025 88 27 9 0 OH
Jun 2025 101 38 12 0 OH,YX
May 2025 93 35 3 0 OH,MQ
Apr 2025 90 26 2 0 OH
Mar 2025 93 33 3 0 OH,YX
Feb 2025 94 42 12 0 OH,YX
Jan 2025 121 32 12 0 OH,YX
Dec 2024 134 24 3 0 OH,YX
Nov 2024 134 13 0 0 OH
Oct 2024 116 17 0 1 OH
Sep 2024 114 15 0 0 YX,OH
Aug 2024 100 19 3 1 YX,OH
Jul 2024 89 18 4 0 OH
Jun 2024 101 22 1 0 MQ,OH,YX
May 2024 88 20 0 0 MQ,OH
Apr 2024 90 19 0 0 OH,YX
Mar 2024 112 22 0 0 OH,YX
Feb 2024 106 23 0 0 OH,YX
Jan 2024 107 29 7 1 YX,OH

ORF–DCA seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (83.7%) · weakest: March (74.3%)

70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.1%

Strongest calendar month

September

83.7% on-time · ~103 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

January

~108 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

March

74.3% on-time · ~107 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

3.3%

78 of 2,398 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

3 of 2,398 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

ORF - Norfolk

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Norfolk, VA.

ORF 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 ORF and DCA side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare ORF vs DCA

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among ORF departures

From ORF, this corridor sits with 14 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 20 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (5 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 1 below 75%). Destination: Washington · fleet on-time rank #3820 of 4927.

What the Data Says About ORF to DCA

The Norfolk to Washington corridor (ORF to DCA) posts a 78.1% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 6,235 tracked flights. Late flights run 83.4 minutes behind on average. 7 carriers cover the 142-mile route; over the last 24 months, 78 of 2,398 flights were cancelled (3.3%) and 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Nov 2024 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 55% - a 35-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, ORF–DCA peaks in September at 83.7% on-time while January carries the heaviest traffic (~108 flights per month) ; the softest month is March at 74.3%, a 9.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ORF to DCA rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, ORF to DCA ranks #2017 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 ORF to DCA? ▼
Flights from Norfolk to Washington have a 78.1% on-time rate based on 6,235 flights. The average delay is 83.4 minutes. The best recent month was Nov 2024 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for ORF to DCA? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 3.3% of flights on this route were cancelled (78 of 2,398 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from ORF to DCA? ▼
The flight distance from Norfolk (ORF) to Washington (DCA) is approximately 142 miles. This route is served by 7 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from ORF to DCA? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Nov 2024 (90% on-time). The worst was Feb 2025 (55% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

ORF Airport

Norfolk
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 ORF–DCA data

ORF–DCA is mid-pack at 78.1% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare ORF and DCA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ORF airport
  • If your dates flex, September (83.7% on-time) beats March (74.3%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 78.1% 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.