RDU to DCA flight delays & on-time performance
Nonstop flights from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport · 227 miles · Aug 2025 – Jul 2026
No FAA-reported ground stops or delays at RDU or DCA right now. Individual flights can still be delayed by the airline; check with your airline for your flight.
Key facts
- Flights from Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Washington (DCA) arrived on time 62% of the time in Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, worse than the 78% national average.
- 5.2% were cancelled, and 15% arrived an hour or more late.
- American Airlines was the most punctual airline here (79% on time); Republic Airways was the least (56%).
- Departures scheduled around 9am did best (88% on time); around 8pm did worst (43%).
- Saturday was the most reliable day to fly (80% on time) and Thursday the least (53%).
- The largest source of delay minutes was late-arriving aircraft (44%).
Which airline is most on time from RDU to DCA?
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 79% | 3.4% | 18 min | 9.1% | 205 |
| Envoy AirRegional airline operating American Eagle flights. | 68% | 2.9% | 23 min | 12.8% | 419 |
| PSA AirlinesRegional airline operating American Eagle flights. | 59% | 6.2% | 36 min | 16.3% | 883 |
| Republic AirwaysRegional airline operating flights for American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express. | 56% | 6.2% | 33 min | 15.1% | 502 |
Best time of day to fly
On-time arrival rate by scheduled departure hour (local time).
- 5am94%34 flights
- 6am82%283 flights
- 9am88%117 flights
- 10am76%236 flights
- 11am77%199 flights
- 1pm58%295 flights
- 3pm45%138 flights
- 4pm32%29 flights
- 5pm43%249 flights
- 6pm55%82 flights
- 7pm26%48 flights
- 8pm43%208 flights
- 9pm35%46 flights
Best day of the week
On-time arrival rate by day of departure.
- Monday65%6.8% cancelled
- Tuesday62%4.5% cancelled
- Wednesday60%3.6% cancelled
- Thursday53%1.3% cancelled
- Friday57%6.4% cancelled
- Saturday80%6.3% cancelled
- Sunday65%8.2% 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 aircraft44%
- Air traffic control & airport congestion31%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, cleaning, fueling)18%
- Extreme weather7%
- Security0%
Why flights are cancelled
Share of cancellations by reason.
- Extreme weather66%
- Air traffic control & airport congestion23%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, cleaning, fueling)11%
- Security0%
RDU to DCA: common questions
- How often are RDU to DCA flights on time?
- 62% 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 Raleigh/Durham to Washington cancelled?
- 5.2% of scheduled flights were cancelled (105 of 2,009).
- How long are typical delays?
- Across all flights the average arrival delay was 31 min (early arrivals count as zero). Flights that were late arrived 78 min behind schedule on average, and 14.5% of flights were an hour or more late.
- How long is taxi time at RDU?
- Flights on this route spent 31 min taxiing from the gate to takeoff on average.
Related routes
Return trip: DCA to RDU — 68% on time
More flights from Raleigh/Durham
Data: U.S. DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Aug 2025 – Jul 2026 (12 months). Latest month published by BTS: July 2026. Route: RDU → DCA, nonstop flights by US airlines that report to the DOT. How we calculate this.