Route on-time record
IAH to MSY: most on-time flights and the best time to fly
Houston (George Bush Intercontinental Airport) to New Orleans (Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport). 2,997 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 83% arrived within 15 minutes and 0.5% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was United 491 at 7:20 AM.
Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.
IAH → MSY
Houston to New Orleans: 2,997 nonstop flights a year
On time (12 months)
83%
Cancelled
0.5%
avg delay 13 min
Best time to leave
Before 9 AM
92% on time vs 75% 6 to 9 PM
Most reliable airline
Spirit
82% chance on time
Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $203 (United 2738 on 2026-10-26). 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 · United 491
7:20 AM → 8:34 AM1h 14m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
93%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 94%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 3 min
- Arrived on time 94% of the time (293 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 293 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 92% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 75%).
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 293 flights
Find United 491 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#2 · United 2497
8:05 AM → 9:19 AM1h 14m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-29.
91%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 97%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 1 min
- Arrived on time 97% of the time (34 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 34 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 92% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 75%).
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started).
Limited track record · 34 flights
Find United 2497 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#3 · United 2385
11:55 AM → 1:12 PM1h 17m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-30.
87%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 89%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 7 min
- Arrived on time 89% of the time (282 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 282 scheduled flights.
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 282 flights
Find United 2385 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#4 · United 2474
10:15 PM → 11:29 PM1h 14m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
87%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 88%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 8 min
- Arrived on time 88% of the time (301 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 302 scheduled flights.
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 301 flights
Find United 2474 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#5 · United 575
9:50 AM → 11:04 AM1h 14m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
85%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 86%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 8 min
- Arrived on time 86% of the time (140 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 140 scheduled flights.
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started).
Moderate track record · 140 flights
Find United 575 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#6 · United 2194
4:35 PM → 5:52 PM1h 17m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.
84%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 85%
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Avg arrival delay
- 11 min
- Arrived on time 85% of the time (253 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs inside IAH's trouble window: 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started between noon and 6 PM.
Strong track record · 253 flights
Find United 2194 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#7 · United 686
3:08 PM → 4:27 PM1h 19m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
81%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 57%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 30 min
- Arrived on time 57% of the time (7 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs inside IAH's trouble window: 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started between noon and 6 PM.
- 91% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
- Short track record (7 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 7 flights
Find United 686 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#8 · United 1493
2:55 PM → 4:12 PM1h 17m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20. Same departure also flew as United 1647; its record covers all of them.
79%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 80%
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Avg arrival delay
- 14 min
- Arrived on time 80% of the time (347 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs inside IAH's trouble window: 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started between noon and 6 PM.
Strong track record · 347 flights
Find United 1493 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#9 · United 2170
8:15 PM → 9:32 PM1h 17m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
76%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 76%
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Avg arrival delay
- 16 min
- Arrived on time 76% of the time (360 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's least on-time window (6 to 9 PM: 75% on time; Before 9 AM: 92%).
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 360 flights
Find United 2170 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#10 · United 1259
6:32 PM → 7:51 PM1h 19m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
76%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 80%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 9 min
- Arrived on time 80% of the time (10 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's least on-time window (6 to 9 PM: 75% on time; Before 9 AM: 92%).
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (10 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 10 flights
Find United 1259 fares Opens this date on Aviasales
Airlines on this route
Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.
- Spirit Airlines82%
168 flights · 83% on time as flown · 1.2% cancel
- United Airlines82%
2,798 flights · 83% on time as flown · 0.4% cancel
On time by departure time
All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Before 9 AM92%
409 flights · avg delay 4 min
- 9 AM to noon87%
671 flights · avg delay 9 min
- Noon to 3 PM79%
332 flights · avg delay 15 min
- 3 to 6 PM82%
448 flights · avg delay 13 min
- 6 to 9 PM75%
784 flights · avg delay 20 min
- After 9 PM85%
353 flights · avg delay 10 min
Best day: Wednesday (83%). Worst: Friday (77%).
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 aircraft45%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)36%
- 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
IAH to MSY questions
- What time of day is best to fly IAH to MSY?
- Before 9 AM: 92% of flights arrived on time, against 75% 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 IAH to MSY?
- Spirit, with a season-adjusted 82% chance of operating and arriving on time over 168 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 IAH to MSY?
- July (63% on time); the best was October (88%), 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 IAH
- MSY to IAH (return)
- IAH to ORD 75%
- IAH to DFW 75%
- IAH to LAX 83%
- IAH to ATL 77%
- IAH to DEN 81%
- IAH to LGA 72%
- IAH to MIA 78%
- IAH to EWR 74%
- IAH to MCO 81%
- IAH to SFO 79%
- IAH to LAS 82%
- IAH to DCA 75%
Live status: FAA delays and ground stops