State · TN · 2020–2025 BTS data
Tennessee
According to PlainFlights' state traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), Tennessee ranks #15 of 53 US states by total flight operations (most flights = #1).
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 81.2%
- On-time
- +2.2 pts
- vs US avg
- 71 min
- Delay when late
- 1.15%
- Cancelled
- #15 of 53
- Corpus placement
State reliability verdict
According to U.S. DOT BTS data, Tennessee is a busy-book state: 1,550,108 operations at 5 airports run 81.2% on-time, 2.2 pts above the 79% U.S. average. Among tracked airports, TRI leads locally at 85.9% on-time.
- 81.2%
- statewide on-time
- +2.2 pts
- vs US average
- 5
- airports tracked
- 1.15%
- cancellation rate
On-time means arrived less than 15 minutes after schedule. Figures are historical BTS averages, not a guarantee for any single flight.
Tennessee 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)
1,550,108 Top 28% more flights than 72% 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 Tennessee
Tennessee airports ranked by on-time rate
5 BTS-tracked airports, led by TRI at 85.9%
On-time rate by airport
- TRI
Bristol/Johnson City/Kingsport, TN: 85.9% on-time, 27,896 flights
86 %
- CHA
Chattanooga, TN: 83.6% on-time, 66,136 flights
84 %
- TYS
Knoxville, TN: 81.9% on-time, 157,494 flights
82 %
- MEM
Memphis, TN: 81.3% on-time, 251,985 flights
81 %
- BNA
Nashville, TN: 80.8% on-time, 1,046,597 flights
81 %
What this shows Airports here range from 80.8% to 85.9% on-time.
| Code | Airport | City | Flights | On-Time | Avg Delay (when late) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BNA | Nashville, TN | Nashville | 1,046,597 | 80.8% | 68.0 min |
| MEM | Memphis, TN | Memphis | 251,985 | 81.3% | 76.2 min |
| TYS | Knoxville, TN | Knoxville | 157,494 | 81.9% | 82.6 min |
| CHA | Chattanooga, TN | Chattanooga | 66,136 | 83.6% | 81.4 min |
| TRI | Bristol/Johnson City/Kingsport, TN | Bristol/Johnson City/Kingsport | 27,896 | 85.9% | 82.0 min |
Tennessee traffic-scale reading
The standout signal in Tennessee is traffic scale: 1,550,108 BTS flights place it #15 of 53 by book size. That busy-book footprint sits beside a 81.2% on-time rate (2.2 pts above the 79% U.S. average), 291,783 delayed departures, and a 1.15% cancellation rate.
As a busy-book state, Nashville, TN (BNA) in Nashville dominates the average with 1,046,597 flights at 80.8% on-time - hub delay mix swings the state figure more than a thin schedule would.
On the recent 24-month tape, delay pressure is lightest in Feb 2024 and heaviest in Jun 2025. On reliability, Bristol/Johnson City/Kingsport, TN (TRI) posts the highest on-time rate at 85.9% across 27,896 flights. On-time performance explained.
States With a Similar On-Time Rate
Other U.S. states whose statewide on-time rate is closest to Tennessee's 81.2%.
Using Tennessee's data
Tennessee's statewide on-time book sits in the slower third of BTS states; check the specific airport before treating the headline as typical.
- Bristol/Johnson City/Kingsport, TN (TRI) is the most reliable airport in Tennessee among those with meaningful traffic. TRI profile
- Nashville, TN handles the most traffic in the state; its performance weighs heavily on the state average. BNA profile
- See how Tennessee 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