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Route on-time record

DCA to STL: most on-time flights and the best time to fly

Washington (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) to St Louis (St. Louis Lambert International Airport). 2,410 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 73% arrived within 15 minutes and 2.4% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was Southwest 2445 at 12:00 PM.

Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.

DCA → STL

Washington to St Louis: 2,410 nonstop flights a year

On time (12 months)

73%

Cancelled

2.4%

avg delay 21 min

Best time to leave

Before 9 AM

85% on time vs 61% 6 to 9 PM

Most reliable airline

Republic

75% chance on time

Check DCA to STL fares

Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $145 (American 2030 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. #1 · Southwest 2445

    12:00 PM → 1:25 PM2h 25m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as Southwest 2411; its record covers all of them.

    87%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    90%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    9 min
    • Arrived on time 90% of the time (82 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Never cancelled in 83 scheduled flights.
    • 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 · 82 flights

    Find Southwest 2445 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  2. #2 · Southwest 1762

    8:00 AM → 9:20 AM2h 20m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as Southwest 3151; its record covers all of them.

    86%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    88%
    Cancelled
    2.3%
    Avg arrival delay
    8 min
    • Arrived on time 88% of the time (86 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 85% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 61%).
    • 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 · 86 flights

    Find Southwest 1762 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  3. #3 · PSA 5454 · sold as American Eagle

    8:00 AM → 9:26 AM2h 26m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.

    79%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    87%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    8 min
    • Arrived on time 87% of the time (31 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Never cancelled in 32 scheduled flights.
    • Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 85% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 61%).
    • Departs outside DCA's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started).

    Limited track record · 31 flights

    Find 8:00 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  4. #4 · Southwest 2359

    3:40 PM → 5:10 PM2h 30m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.

    75%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    82%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    16 min
    • Arrived on time 82% of the time (33 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Never cancelled in 33 scheduled flights.
    • 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 (33 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.

    Limited track record · 33 flights

    Find Southwest 2359 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  5. #5 · PSA 5677 · sold as American Eagle

    7:30 AM → 9:06 AM2h 36m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-03.

    71%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    77%
    Cancelled
    5.4%
    Avg arrival delay
    21 min
    • Arrived on time 77% of the time (35 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Cancelled 5.4% of the time (2 of 37).
    • Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 85% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 61%).
    • Departs outside DCA's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started).

    Limited track record · 35 flights

    Find 7:30 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  6. #6 · Southwest 1764

    2:45 PM → 4:05 PM2h 20m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-29. Same departure also flew as Southwest 61; its record covers all of them.

    71%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    69%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    21 min
    • Arrived on time 69% of the time (39 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Never cancelled in 39 scheduled flights.
    • 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 (39 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.

    Limited track record · 39 flights

    Find Southwest 1764 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  7. #7 · PSA 5541 · sold as American Eagle

    1:46 PM → 3:13 PM2h 27m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20. Same departure also flew as PSA 5398; its record covers all of them.

    61%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    66%
    Cancelled
    4.2%
    Avg arrival delay
    28 min
    • Arrived on time 66% of the time (114 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Cancelled 4.2% of the time (5 of 119).
    • Departs inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
    • 56% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.

    Moderate track record · 114 flights

    Find 1:46 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  8. #8 · Southwest 4075

    6:55 PM → 8:20 PM2h 25m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.

    61%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    53%
    Cancelled
    5.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    34 min
    • Arrived on time 53% of the time (19 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Leaves in this route's least on-time window (6 to 9 PM: 61% on time; Before 9 AM: 85%).
    • Departs inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
    • 70% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.

    Limited track record · 19 flights

    Find Southwest 4075 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  9. #9 · Southwest 1196

    6:45 PM → 8:10 PM2h 25m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as Southwest 1972; its record covers all of them.

    60%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    57%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    25 min
    • Arrived on time 57% of the time (63 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Never cancelled in 63 scheduled flights.
    • Leaves in this route's least on-time window (6 to 9 PM: 61% on time; Before 9 AM: 85%).
    • Departs inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.

    Moderate track record · 63 flights

    Find Southwest 1196 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  10. #10 · PSA 5582 · sold as American Eagle

    2:59 PM → 4:30 PM2h 31m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.

    58%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    44%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    35 min
    • Arrived on time 44% of the time (9 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 (9 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.

    Limited track record · 9 flights

    Find 2:59 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales

Airlines on this route

Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.

  • Republic Airways (sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express)75%

    200 flights · 80% on time as flown · 3.0% cancel

  • Southwest Airlines75%

    1,399 flights · 76% on time as flown · 1.3% cancel

  • American Airlines67%

    209 flights · 68% on time as flown · 2.1% cancel

  • PSA Airlines (sold as American Eagle)64%

    581 flights · 66% on time as flown · 4.7% cancel

On time by departure time

All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.

  • Before 9 AM85%

    616 flights · avg delay 11 min

  • Noon to 3 PM77%

    800 flights · avg delay 17 min

  • 3 to 6 PM66%

    250 flights · avg delay 28 min

  • 6 to 9 PM61%

    668 flights · avg delay 34 min

Best day: Saturday (82%). Worst: Friday (73%).

Smarter routing

Nearby airports that run more on time

  • BWI → STL 82% chance on time

    Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport to St. Louis Lambert International Airport · 1,283 flights a year · 30 mi from your airports · yours: 72%

    Rank flightsFares

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.

J
80
F
76
M
77
A
80
M
72
J
75
J
66
A
76
S
84
O
81
N
80
D
77

What delays this route

  • Late-arriving aircraft51%
  • Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)30%
  • Air traffic control and airport volume12%
  • 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 STL questions

What time of day is best to fly DCA to STL?
Before 9 AM: 85% of flights arrived on time, against 61% for departures 6 to 9 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 STL?
Republic, with a season-adjusted 75% chance of operating and arriving on time over 200 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 STL?
July (66% 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

Live status: FAA delays and ground stops