Route Reliability

Route reliability

New York (LGA) to Washington (DCA): which airline is most on time?

On-time arrivals, cancellations and long delays for every airline that reported nonstop flights from New York, NY (LGA) to Washington, VA (DCA), September 2025 to August 2026.

Historical performance Official DOT data through August 2026 · Not live flight status

New York, NYWashington, VA

Check a route

Three-letter airport codes, nonstop U.S. domestic flights. One direction at a time.

Route at a glance · September 2025 to August 2026

LGA to DCA

New York, NY to Washington, VA

On time
61.7%vs 75.6% U.S. average Worse than average
Cancelled
5.8%vs 1.9% U.S. average Worse than average
60+ min late
11.0%vs 8.1% U.S. average Worse than average
Scheduled flights
4,840in 12 months3 airlines
Most reliable airline
Republic Airways61.8% on time · 4,699 flights

On time less often than the U.S. average, with more cancellations.

Compared with all U.S. flights, September 2025 to August 2026. “About average” means within 1.5 points for on time, 0.3 for cancelled and 1 for 60+ minutes late.

Airlines on this route

Ranked by on-time arrival

Airlines from LGA to DCA, September 2025 to August 2026. Rates are shares of all scheduled flights.
Airline On time Cancelled 60+ min late Avg delay when late Diverted Flights
1. Republic Airways Operating carrier; sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection, United Express Most reliable 61.8% 5.8% 10.7% 61 min 0.2% 4,699
2. Delta Air Lines 56.4% 3.4% 20.5% 84 min 0.0% 117
American Airlines Insufficient sample (fewer than 50 flights) 24

On time = arrived within 15 minutes of schedule. Avg delay when late = average arrival delay of flights 15+ minutes late. "Most reliable" needs at least 300 flights in 12 months. Tap a heading to sort.

What this means

Republic Airways has the strongest record on this route.

  • Republic Airways had the best on-time record from New York (LGA) to Washington (DCA): 61.8% of its 4,699 scheduled flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule, compared with 56.4% for Delta Air Lines.
  • American Airlines also flew this route but with fewer than 50 reported flights, too few to rate.
  • 5.8% of flights on this route were cancelled (about 1 in 17), 3.9 points higher than the U.S. average of 1.9%.
  • 11.0% of flights, about 1 in 9, arrived an hour or more late. When a flight was late (15+ minutes), the average arrival delay was 62 min.
  • Overall, 61.7% of flights on this route arrived on time, 13.9 points lower than the U.S. average of 75.6%.
  • Over the last 3 years, September was the most reliable month on this route (82.3% on time) and July the least reliable (64.7%).
  • Cancellations peaked in July, when 10.4% of flights were cancelled.
  • Flights scheduled to depart 6 am to 7 am were the most punctual (84.2% on time); flights scheduled to depart 7 pm to 8 pm were the least (42.3%).
  • In the other direction, Washington (DCA) to New York (LGA), 61.3% of flights were on time and 6.4% were cancelled. Compare airlines DCA to LGA.

Best and worst months to fly LGA to DCA

Jan 73.0%
Feb 66.1%
Mar 70.9%
Apr 76.3%
May 71.1%
Jun 68.7%
Jul 64.7%
Aug 72.2%
Sep 82.3%
Oct 81.3%
Nov 78.0%
Dec 72.1%
Share of scheduled flights on time 12-month average 61.7%
All airlines combined, by calendar month, September 2023 to August 2026 (3 years pooled). Scale starts at zero.
Show as table
PeriodOn timeFlights
January 73.0% 1,125
February 66.1% 1,115
March 70.9% 1,209
April 76.3% 1,170
May 71.1% 1,184
June 68.7% 1,160
July 64.7% 1,207
August 72.2% 1,188
September 82.3% 1,150
October 81.3% 1,195
November 78.0% 1,143
December 72.1% 985

Month by month, last 12 months

Sep 80.6%
Oct 65.8%
Nov 55.2%
Dec 52.9%
Jan 62.3%
Feb 52.6%
Mar 47.9%
Apr 68.9%
May 66.5%
Jun 68.4%
Jul 55.3%
Aug 63.1%
Share of scheduled flights on time U.S. average 75.6%
All airlines combined, September 2025 to August 2026. Scale starts at zero.
Show as table
PeriodOn timeFlights
Sep 2025 80.6% 386
Oct 2025 65.8% 398
Nov 2025 55.2% 393
Dec 2025 52.9% 342
Jan 2026 62.3% 403
Feb 2026 52.6% 390
Mar 2026 47.9% 436
Apr 2026 68.9% 421
May 2026 66.5% 424
Jun 2026 68.4% 412
Jul 2026 55.3% 418
Aug 2026 63.1% 417

Best and worst departure times

6a 84.2%
7a 66.1%
8a 80.6%
9a 74.2%
10a 73.3%
11a 72.9%
12p 62.7%
1p 55.3%
2p 53.3%
3p 51.3%
4p 45.0%
5p 51.2%
6p Insufficient sample
7p 42.3%
8p 44.0%
9p 53.7%
Share of scheduled flights on time
By scheduled local departure hour at LGA, September 2025 to August 2026. Hours with no scheduled flights are omitted. Scale starts at zero.
Show as table
PeriodOn timeFlights
Departing 6 am to 7 am 84.2% 518
Departing 7 am to 8 am 66.1% 384
Departing 8 am to 9 am 80.6% 320
Departing 9 am to 10 am 74.2% 194
Departing 10 am to 11 am 73.3% 255
Departing 11 am to noon 72.9% 443
Departing noon to 1 pm 62.7% 209
Departing 1 pm to 2 pm 55.3% 141
Departing 2 pm to 3 pm 53.3% 507
Departing 3 pm to 4 pm 51.3% 113
Departing 4 pm to 5 pm 45.0% 169
Departing 5 pm to 6 pm 51.2% 660
Departing 6 pm to 7 pm Insufficient sample 7
Departing 7 pm to 8 pm 42.3% 470
Departing 8 pm to 9 pm 44.0% 150
Departing 9 pm to 10 pm 53.7% 300
Woman at an airport window watching a plane take off
Photo: Depositphotos (licensed stock, illustrative only). Credits

Sources & data dates

Source
U.S. DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Reporting Carrier On-Time Performance (1987-present)
Period
September 2025 to August 2026 (12 months); month-of-year patterns September 2023 to August 2026
Data through
August 2026
Processed
2026-11-03
Scope
Nonstop scheduled flights from New York, NY (LGA) to Washington, VA (DCA), one direction. Airlines that report to the DOT only.
Method
Rates use all scheduled flights as the denominator; cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time. Figures based on fewer than 50 scheduled flights are suppressed. Full methodology.

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