State · KY · 2020–2025 BTS data
Kentucky
According to PlainFlights' state traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), Kentucky ranks #25 of 53 US states by total flight operations (most flights = #1).
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 82.5%
- On-time
- +3.5 pts
- vs US avg
- 79 min
- Delay when late
- 1.18%
- Cancelled
- #25 of 53
- Corpus placement
State reliability verdict
According to U.S. DOT BTS data, flights in Kentucky run at 82.5% on-time (typical tercile) across 772,869 operations at 5 airports, 3.5 pts above the 79% U.S. average. Among tracked airports, PAH leads locally at 88.2% on-time.
- 82.5%
- statewide on-time
- +3.5 pts
- vs US average
- 5
- airports tracked
- 1.18%
- cancellation rate
On-time means arrived less than 15 minutes after schedule. Figures are historical BTS averages, not a guarantee for any single flight.
Kentucky vs all states by total flight operations
Where this state's BTS On-Time Performance flight count sits among every state with tracked operations (traffic density, not on-time quality)
772,869 Top 47% more flights than 53% of 53 states
States, banded by total BTS-tracked flights
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source BTS On-Time Performance · 2026-06-13
Airports in Kentucky
Kentucky airports ranked by on-time rate
5 BTS-tracked airports, led by PAH at 88.2%
On-time rate by airport
- PAH
Paducah, KY: 88.2% on-time, 4,333 flights
88 %
- LEX
Lexington, KY: 83.6% on-time, 91,507 flights
84 %
- SDF
Louisville, KY: 82.8% on-time, 252,784 flights
83 %
- CVG
Cincinnati, OH: 82.1% on-time, 423,583 flights
82 %
- OWB
Owensboro, KY: 79% on-time, 662 flights
79 %
What this shows Airports here range from 79% to 88.2% on-time.
| Code | Airport | City | Flights | On-Time | Avg Delay (when late) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CVG | Cincinnati, OH | Cincinnati | 423,583 | 82.1% | 77.9 min |
| SDF | Louisville, KY | Louisville | 252,784 | 82.8% | 78.6 min |
| LEX | Lexington, KY | Lexington | 91,507 | 83.6% | 82.3 min |
| PAH | Paducah, KY | Paducah | 4,333 | 88.2% | 109.5 min |
| OWB | Owensboro, KY | Owensboro | 662 | 79% | 63.5 min |
Kentucky airport-inventory reading
The standout signal in Kentucky is airport inventory: 5 BTS-tracked airports across 772,869 flights. Statewide on-time is 82.5% (3.5 pts above the 79% U.S. average) with a 1.18% cancellation rate.
Mid-volume books still show a clear airport fingerprint: Cincinnati, OH (CVG) handles 423,583 flights at 82.1% on-time.
On the recent 24-month tape, delay pressure is lightest in Oct 2024 and heaviest in Jul 2025. On reliability, Paducah, KY (PAH) posts the highest on-time rate at 88.2% across 4,333 flights. On-time performance explained.
States With a Similar On-Time Rate
Other U.S. states whose statewide on-time rate is closest to Kentucky's 82.5%.
Using Kentucky's data
Kentucky's statewide on-time book is mid-pack; airport choice and month move more than the headline rate.
- Paducah, KY (PAH) is the most reliable airport in Kentucky among those with meaningful traffic. PAH profile
- Cincinnati, OH handles the most traffic in the state; its performance weighs heavily on the state average. CVG profile
- See how Kentucky compares with every other state that has BTS-tracked airports. All states
State averages are flight-weighted across all reporting airports in the state; a single busy airport can dominate the figure.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Airline on-time performance and operational reliability · 2025