Route on-time record
JFK to DCA: most on-time flights and the best time to fly
New York (John F. Kennedy International Airport) to Washington (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport). 2,531 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 67% arrived within 15 minutes and 5.6% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was Republic 5750 at 8:36 AM.
Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.
JFK → DCA
New York to Washington: 2,531 nonstop flights a year
On time (12 months)
67%
Cancelled
5.6%
avg delay 24 min
Best time to leave
9 AM to noon
89% on time vs 50% noon to 3 PM
Most reliable airline
Republic
66% chance on time
Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $91 (JetBlue 955 on 2026-10-22). 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 5750 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
8:36 AM → 10:00 AM1h 24m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
82%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 94%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 8 min
- Arrived on time 94% of the time (33 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 33 scheduled flights.
- Departs outside JFK's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (33 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 33 flights
Find 8:36 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#2 · Republic 4538 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
8:29 AM → 9:59 AM1h 30m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
76%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 79%
- Cancelled
- 3.2%
- Avg arrival delay
- 12 min
- Arrived on time 79% of the time (303 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 3.2% of the time (10 of 313).
- Departs outside JFK's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 303 flights
Find 8:29 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#3 · Republic 4671 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
9:23 AM → 11:00 AM1h 37m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
68%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 69%
- Cancelled
- 3.2%
- Avg arrival delay
- 16 min
- Arrived on time 69% of the time (242 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 3.2% of the time (8 of 251).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (9 AM to noon: 89% on time; Noon to 3 PM: 50%).
- Departs outside JFK's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 242 flights
Find 9:23 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#4 · Republic 4339 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
5:10 PM → 6:58 PM1h 48m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-19.
68%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 76%
- Cancelled
- 4.5%
- Avg arrival delay
- 26 min
- Arrived on time 76% of the time (42 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 4.5% of the time (2 of 44).
- Departs inside JFK's trouble window: 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
- Lands inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
Limited track record · 42 flights
Find 5:10 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#5 · Republic 4336 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
9:29 PM → 11:13 PM1h 44m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
67%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 90%
- Cancelled
- 9.1%
- Avg arrival delay
- 4 min
- Arrived on time 90% of the time (10 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside JFK's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 66% of its 167 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 9:29 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#6 · Republic 4781 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
8:42 PM → 10:29 PM1h 47m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-19.
67%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 79%
- Cancelled
- 2.3%
- Avg arrival delay
- 14 min
- Arrived on time 79% of the time (43 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside JFK's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (43 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 43 flights
Find 8:42 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#7 · Republic 4348 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
5:00 PM → 6:33 PM1h 33m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.
66%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 66%
- Cancelled
- 3.3%
- Avg arrival delay
- 21 min
- Arrived on time 66% of the time (29 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 3.3% of the time (1 of 30).
- Departs inside JFK's trouble window: 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
- Lands inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
Limited track record · 29 flights
Find 5:00 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#8 · Republic 5743 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
9:51 PM → 11:24 PM1h 33m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
63%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 67%
- Cancelled
- 4.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 31 min
- Arrived on time 67% of the time (24 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside JFK's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (24 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 24 flights
Find 9:51 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#9 · Republic 4522 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
2:59 PM → 4:45 PM1h 46m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20. Same departure also flew as Republic 4476; its record covers all of them.
60%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 63%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 18 min
- Arrived on time 63% of the time (70 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 70 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's least on-time window (Noon to 3 PM: 50% on time; 9 AM to noon: 89%).
- Departs inside JFK's trouble window: 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
Moderate track record · 70 flights
Find 2:59 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#10 · Republic 5699 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
3:30 PM → 5:00 PM1h 31m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
57%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 60%
- Cancelled
- 6.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 32 min
- Arrived on time 60% of the time (327 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 6.0% of the time (21 of 349).
- Departs inside JFK's trouble window: 66% of its 167 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
- Lands inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
Strong track record · 327 flights
Find 3:30 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)66%
2,085 flights · 70% on time as flown · 5.7% cancel
- JetBlue53%
446 flights · 55% on time as flown · 5.3% cancel
On time by departure time
All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Before 9 AM81%
541 flights · avg delay 11 min
- 9 AM to noon89%
192 flights · avg delay 6 min
- Noon to 3 PM50%
228 flights · avg delay 34 min
- 3 to 6 PM63%
596 flights · avg delay 31 min
- 6 to 9 PM51%
206 flights · avg delay 35 min
- After 9 PM64%
768 flights · avg delay 28 min
Best day: Saturday (79%). Worst: Thursday (73%).
Smarter routing
Nearby airports that run more on time
ISP → BWI 83% chance on time
Long Island MacArthur Airport to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport · 1,201 flights a year · 67 mi from your airports · yours: 64%
EWR → IAD 71% chance on time
Newark Liberty International Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport · 1,474 flights a year · 44 mi from your airports · yours: 64%
LGA → IAD 69% chance on time
LaGuardia Airport to Washington Dulles International Airport · 979 flights a year · 34 mi from your airports · yours: 64%
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
- Air traffic control and airport volume40%
- Late-arriving aircraft38%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)20%
- Severe weather2%
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
JFK to DCA questions
- What time of day is best to fly JFK to DCA?
- 9 AM to noon: 89% of flights arrived on time, against 50% for departures noon to 3 PM.
- Which airline is most on time from JFK to DCA?
- Republic, with a season-adjusted 66% chance of operating and arriving on time over 2,085 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 JFK to DCA?
- February (68% 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 JFK
- DCA to JFK (return)
- JFK to LAX 78%
- JFK to SFO 75%
- JFK to BOS 73%
- JFK to MCO 73%
- JFK to MIA 76%
- JFK to ATL 76%
- JFK to FLL 72%
- JFK to LAS 80%
- JFK to PHX 78%
- JFK to SEA 68%
- JFK to SAN 79%
Live status: FAA delays and ground stops