Route on-time record
DCA to JFK: most on-time flights and the best time to fly
Washington (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) to New York (John F. Kennedy International Airport). 2,499 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 77% arrived within 15 minutes and 5.9% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was Republic 4551 at 6:00 AM.
Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.
DCA → JFK
Washington to New York: 2,499 nonstop flights a year
On time (12 months)
77%
Cancelled
5.9%
avg delay 17 min
Best time to leave
Before 9 AM
91% on time vs 59% 3 to 6 PM
Most reliable airline
JetBlue
76% chance on time
Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $94 (American 4551 on 2026-10-21). Fares open on our travel partner (Aviasales). Pick the flight number you chose here.
Most reliable nonstop flights
Ranked by the chance the flight operates and arrives within 15 minutes of schedule, from Jun 2025 to May 2026 records.
#1 · Republic 4551 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
6:00 AM → 7:27 AM1h 27m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
90%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 95%
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 2 min
- Arrived on time 95% of the time (206 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; 3 to 6 PM: 59%).
- Departs outside DCA's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 206 flights
Find 6:00 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#2 · Republic 4396 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
6:20 AM → 7:46 AM1h 26m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.
85%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 87%
- Cancelled
- 3.9%
- Avg arrival delay
- 7 min
- Arrived on time 87% of the time (148 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 3.9% of the time (6 of 154).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; 3 to 6 PM: 59%).
- Departs outside DCA's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started).
Moderate track record · 148 flights
Find 6:20 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#3 · Republic 5802 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
6:09 AM → 7:29 AM1h 20m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
84%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 92%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 8 min
- Arrived on time 92% of the time (25 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; 3 to 6 PM: 59%).
- Departs outside DCA's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (25 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 25 flights
Find 6:09 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#4 · JetBlue 254
6:00 AM → 7:17 AM1h 17m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as JetBlue 1888; its record covers all of them.
84%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 88%
- Cancelled
- 5.8%
- Avg arrival delay
- 10 min
- Arrived on time 88% of the time (344 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 5.8% of the time (21 of 365).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; 3 to 6 PM: 59%).
- Departs outside DCA's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 344 flights
Find JetBlue 254 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#5 · Republic 5750 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
11:00 AM → 12:16 PM1h 16m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
79%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 88%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 12 min
- Arrived on time 88% of the time (25 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside DCA's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (25 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 25 flights
Find 11:00 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#6 · Republic 4628 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
1:25 PM → 2:59 PM1h 34m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.
76%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 89%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 5 min
- Arrived on time 89% of the time (44 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 44 scheduled flights.
- Departs inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
- Lands inside JFK's trouble window: 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
Limited track record · 44 flights
Find 1:25 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#7 · Republic 4476 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
12:04 PM → 1:33 PM1h 29m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.
73%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 77%
- Cancelled
- 5.5%
- Avg arrival delay
- 15 min
- Arrived on time 77% of the time (52 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 5.5% of the time (3 of 55).
- Departs outside DCA's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Lands inside JFK's trouble window: 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
Limited track record · 52 flights
Find 12:04 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#8 · Republic 4361 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
1:48 PM → 3:19 PM1h 31m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.
73%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 74%
- Cancelled
- 5.1%
- Avg arrival delay
- 21 min
- Arrived on time 74% of the time (130 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 5.1% of the time (7 of 137).
- Departs inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
- Lands inside JFK's trouble window: 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
Moderate track record · 130 flights
Find 1:48 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#9 · Republic 4336 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
6:40 PM → 8:20 PM1h 40m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
71%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 90%
- Cancelled
- 9.1%
- Avg arrival delay
- 7 min
- Arrived on time 90% of the time (10 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
- Short track record (10 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 10 flights
Find 6:40 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#10 · Republic 5713 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
5:00 PM → 6:36 PM1h 34m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as Republic 4632; its record covers all of them.
57%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 62%
- Cancelled
- 9.4%
- Avg arrival delay
- 25 min
- Arrived on time 62% of the time (365 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 9.4% of the time (38 of 403).
- Leaves in this route's least on-time window (3 to 6 PM: 59% on time; Before 9 AM: 91%).
- Departs inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
Strong track record · 365 flights
Find 5:00 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales
Airlines on this route
Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.
- JetBlue76%
446 flights · 81% on time as flown · 5.7% cancel
- Republic Airways (sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express)72%
2,053 flights · 76% on time as flown · 5.9% cancel
On time by departure time
All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Before 9 AM91%
970 flights · avg delay 6 min
- 9 AM to noon88%
198 flights · avg delay 9 min
- Noon to 3 PM72%
502 flights · avg delay 22 min
- 3 to 6 PM59%
667 flights · avg delay 28 min
- 6 to 9 PM70%
162 flights · avg delay 28 min
Best day: Wednesday (83%). Worst: Friday (75%).
Smarter routing
Nearby airports that run more on time
DCA → EWR 87% chance on time
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport · 333 flights a year · 21 mi from your airports · yours: 73%
On time by month
All airlines, Jun 2023 to May 2026. Several years per month, so one stormy season doesn't define a month. Travel-month estimates use this seasonal pattern.
What delays this route
- Late-arriving aircraft38%
- Air traffic control and airport volume32%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)23%
- Severe weather7%
Share of delay minutes by the cause airlines report to the US DOT.
Historical odds, not a guarantee. Built from the US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics on-time reports (Jun 2025 to May 2026), FAA ground stop and delay program advisories, and 20 years of airport weather observations. Covers US airlines that report to the DOT; schedules are flights operated recently, so confirm times when you book. ATIS Alerts is not affiliated with any airline. Fares are what Aviasales travelers saw in recent searches (USD, one way, 1 adult), not live quotes; the partner site shows the current price. Fare links go to our travel partner and may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Affiliate disclosure
DCA to JFK questions
- What time of day is best to fly DCA to JFK?
- Before 9 AM: 91% of flights arrived on time, against 59% for departures 3 to 6 PM. Later flights inherit delays from earlier ones, so the first departures of the day usually run best.
- Which airline is most on time from DCA to JFK?
- JetBlue, with a season-adjusted 76% chance of operating and arriving on time over 446 flights. The adjustment compares each airline with what the route did in the months it flew, so a carrier that skipped a stormy month gets no free credit.
- What is the worst month for delays on DCA to JFK?
- July (71% on time); the best was September (84%), averaged over Jun 2023 to May 2026.
- Is this a prediction for my flight?
- No. These are historical odds from the US DOT on-time reports, FAA advisories and airport weather records. Check your flight status and the FAA delay board on the day you fly.
More routes from DCA
- JFK to DCA (return)
- DCA to BOS 71%
- DCA to ORD 74%
- DCA to ATL 78%
- DCA to LGA 67%
- DCA to MCO 74%
- DCA to BNA 77%
- DCA to MIA 75%
- DCA to DFW 77%
- DCA to IAH 81%
- DCA to DTW 76%
- DCA to CLT 78%
- DCA to MSP 78%
Live status: FAA delays and ground stops