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Route · RDU → DEN · 2020–2025 BTS data

Raleigh/Durham to Denver

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), RDU to DEN (Raleigh/Durham to Denver) ranks #1137 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.7%
On-time
+3.7 pts
vs US avg
73 min
Delay when late
10,149
Flights
#1137 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.7%

Best Month

Oct 2024 91%

Worst Month

Jun 2025 66%

Distance

1,436 mi

Carriers

13

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 147 44 0 1 WN,F9,UA
Nov 2025 138 21 0 0 UA,F9,WN
Oct 2025 136 21 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Sep 2025 133 26 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Aug 2025 163 46 2 2 WN,F9,UA
Jul 2025 183 60 1 3 UA,WN,F9
Jun 2025 178 61 2 1 UA,WN,F9
May 2025 146 42 1 1 UA,WN,F9
Apr 2025 142 28 0 1 F9,UA,WN
Mar 2025 148 16 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Feb 2025 127 19 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Jan 2025 141 33 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Dec 2024 148 15 0 0 F9,UA,WN
Nov 2024 152 28 0 0 UA,WN,F9
Oct 2024 155 14 2 0 UA,WN,F9
Sep 2024 153 22 1 0 WN,UA,F9
Aug 2024 169 40 2 0 F9,WN,UA
Jul 2024 185 45 4 0 F9,UA,WN
Jun 2024 179 23 1 5 F9,UA,WN
May 2024 160 53 2 1 F9,UA,WN
Apr 2024 148 34 0 0 F9,UA,WN
Mar 2024 166 22 3 0 F9,UA,WN
Feb 2024 135 26 0 0 F9,UA,WN
Jan 2024 148 24 6 0 F9,WN,UA

RDU–DEN seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (87.8%) · weakest: July (77.4%)

75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.7%

Strongest calendar month

October

87.8% on-time · ~149 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~164 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

77.4% on-time · ~162 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.7%

27 of 3,680 flights

Diversion Rate

0.4%

15 of 3,680 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

RDU - Raleigh/Durham

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Raleigh/Durham, NC.

RDU on-time profile

DEN - Denver

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Denver, CO.

DEN on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See RDU and DEN side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare RDU vs DEN

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among RDU departures

From RDU, this corridor sits with 25 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 35 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (9 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 1 below 75%). Destination: Denver · fleet on-time rank #2082 of 4927.

What the Data Says About RDU to DEN

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Raleigh/Durham to Denver (RDU to DEN) running a 82.7% on-time rate over 10,149 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 72.7 minutes. The 1,436-mile corridor is served by 13 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.7% of 3,680 flights were cancelled, 0.4% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while Jun 2025 came in at just 66% - a 25-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, RDU–DEN peaks in October at 87.8% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~164 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 77.4%, 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 RDU to DEN rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, RDU to DEN ranks #1137 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 RDU to DEN? ▼
Flights from Raleigh/Durham to Denver have a 82.7% on-time rate based on 10,149 flights. The average delay is 72.7 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 91% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for RDU to DEN? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (27 of 3,680 flights) and 0.4% were diverted.
How far is the flight from RDU to DEN? ▼
The flight distance from Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Denver (DEN) is approximately 1,436 miles. This route is served by 13 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from RDU to DEN? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (91% on-time). The worst was Jun 2025 (66% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

RDU Airport

Raleigh/Durham
DEN Airport

Denver
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 RDU–DEN data

RDU–DEN runs 3.7 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare RDU and DEN airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. RDU airport
  • If your dates flex, October (87.8% on-time) beats July (77.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.7% 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.