State · MO · 2020–2025 BTS data
Missouri
According to PlainFlights' state traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), Missouri ranks #21 of 53 US states by total flight operations (most flights = #1).
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 81.6%
- On-time
- +2.6 pts
- vs US avg
- 70 min
- Delay when late
- 1.21%
- Cancelled
- #21 of 53
- Corpus placement
State reliability verdict
According to U.S. DOT BTS data, Missouri is a mid-book state: 1,337,375 operations at 8 airports run 81.6% on-time, 2.6 pts above the 79% U.S. average. Among tracked airports, TBN leads locally at 90.5% on-time.
- 81.6%
- statewide on-time
- +2.6 pts
- vs US average
- 8
- airports tracked
- 1.21%
- cancellation rate
On-time means arrived less than 15 minutes after schedule. Figures are historical BTS averages, not a guarantee for any single flight.
Missouri 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)
1,337,375 Top 40% more flights than 60% 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 Missouri
Missouri airports ranked by on-time rate
8 BTS-tracked airports, led by TBN at 90.5%
On-time rate by airport
- TBN
Fort Leonard Wood, MO: 90.5% on-time, 1,262 flights
91 %
- CGI
Cape Girardeau, MO: 89.7% on-time, 3,473 flights
90 %
- JLN
Joplin, MO: 83.1% on-time, 8,632 flights
83 %
- MCI
Kansas City, MO: 82% on-time, 524,365 flights
82 %
- SGF
Springfield, MO: 81.7% on-time, 92,073 flights
82 %
- STL
St. Louis, MO: 81.3% on-time, 687,272 flights
81 %
- COU
Columbia, MO: 80.3% on-time, 19,935 flights
80 %
- BKG
Branson, MO: 77.4% on-time, 363 flights
77 %
What this shows Airports here range from 77.4% to 90.5% on-time.
| Code | Airport | City | Flights | On-Time | Avg Delay (when late) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| STL | St. Louis, MO | St. Louis | 687,272 | 81.3% | 66.7 min |
| MCI | Kansas City, MO | Kansas City | 524,365 | 82% | 70.0 min |
| SGF | Springfield, MO | Springfield | 92,073 | 81.7% | 79.2 min |
| COU | Columbia, MO | Columbia | 19,935 | 80.3% | 86.5 min |
| JLN | Joplin, MO | Joplin | 8,632 | 83.1% | 125.8 min |
| CGI | Cape Girardeau, MO | Cape Girardeau | 3,473 | 89.7% | 130.4 min |
| TBN | Fort Leonard Wood, MO | Fort Leonard Wood | 1,262 | 90.5% | 103.4 min |
| BKG | Branson, MO | Branson | 363 | 77.4% | 54.4 min |
Missouri traffic-scale reading
The standout signal in Missouri is traffic scale: 1,337,375 BTS flights place it #21 of 53 by book size. That mid-book footprint sits beside a 81.6% on-time rate (2.6 pts above the 79% U.S. average), 245,837 delayed departures, and a 1.21% cancellation rate.
Mid-volume books still show a clear airport fingerprint: St. Louis, MO (STL) handles 687,272 flights at 81.3% on-time.
On the recent 24-month tape, delay pressure is lightest in Oct 2024 and heaviest in Jul 2024. On reliability, Fort Leonard Wood, MO (TBN) posts the highest on-time rate at 90.5% across 1,262 flights. On-time performance explained.
States With a Similar On-Time Rate
Other U.S. states whose statewide on-time rate is closest to Missouri's 81.6%.
Using Missouri's data
Missouri's statewide on-time book sits in the slower third of BTS states; check the specific airport before treating the headline as typical.
- Fort Leonard Wood, MO (TBN) is the most reliable airport in Missouri among those with meaningful traffic. TBN profile
- St. Louis, MO handles the most traffic in the state; its performance weighs heavily on the state average. STL profile
- See how Missouri 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