DCA to JFK flight delays & on-time performance
Nonstop flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to John F. Kennedy International Airport · 213 miles · Aug 2025 – Jul 2026
No FAA-reported ground stops or delays at DCA or JFK right now. Individual flights can still be delayed by the airline; check with your airline for your flight.
Key facts
- Flights from Washington (DCA) to New York (JFK) arrived on time 77% of the time in Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, worse than the 78% national average.
- 5.2% were cancelled, and 9% arrived an hour or more late.
- JetBlue was the most punctual airline here (82% on time); Republic Airways was the least (76%).
- Departures scheduled around 6am did best (91% on time); around 5pm did worst (59%).
- Saturday was the most reliable day to fly (82% on time) and Friday the least (70%).
- The largest source of delay minutes was late-arriving aircraft (35%).
Which airline is most on time from DCA to JFK?
Ranked by on-time arrival rate. Regional airlines fly under their partner's brand (e.g. SkyWest for Delta Connection or United Express).
| Airline | On time | Cancelled | Avg delay | 1 hr+ late | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JetBlue | 82% | 5.4% | 14 min | 8.1% | 445 |
| Republic AirwaysRegional airline operating flights for American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express. | 76% | 5.2% | 17 min | 8.9% | 2,043 |
Best time of day to fly
On-time arrival rate by scheduled departure hour (local time).
- 6am91%946 flights
- 11am85%192 flights
- 12pm76%136 flights
- 1pm74%228 flights
- 2pm67%137 flights
- 3pm63%33 flights
- 4pm61%41 flights
- 5pm59%588 flights
- 6pm74%44 flights
- 7pm68%121 flights
Best day of the week
On-time arrival rate by day of departure.
- Monday77%8.1% cancelled
- Tuesday80%6.2% cancelled
- Wednesday81%2.8% cancelled
- Thursday78%4.8% cancelled
- Friday70%3.0% cancelled
- Saturday82%4.0% cancelled
- Sunday73%7.5% cancelled
On-time trend by month
Why flights are late
Share of delay minutes by cause, as reported by airlines to the DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft35%
- Air traffic control & airport congestion32%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, cleaning, fueling)25%
- Extreme weather8%
- Security0%
Why flights are cancelled
Share of cancellations by reason.
- Air traffic control & airport congestion41%
- Extreme weather39%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, cleaning, fueling)20%
- Security0%
DCA to JFK: common questions
- How often are DCA to JFK flights on time?
- 77% of flights arrived less than 15 minutes late in Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, compared with 78% for all US flights.
- How often are flights from Washington to New York cancelled?
- 5.2% of scheduled flights were cancelled (130 of 2,488).
- How long are typical delays?
- Across all flights the average arrival delay was 17 min (early arrivals count as zero). Flights that were late arrived 70 min behind schedule on average, and 8.7% of flights were an hour or more late.
- How long is taxi time at DCA?
- Flights on this route spent 23 min taxiing from the gate to takeoff on average.
Related routes
Return trip: JFK to DCA — 67% on time
More flights from Washington
Data: U.S. DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Aug 2025 – Jul 2026 (12 months). Latest month published by BTS: July 2026. Route: DCA → JFK, nonstop flights by US airlines that report to the DOT. How we calculate this.