71% of flights leaving Dallas (DAL) arrived on time over the past 12 months, 4 points worse than the national average of 76%. That ranks 70 of 76 large U.S. airports. About 193 flights leave DAL on a typical day; 1.4% were cancelled. 67% pushed back from the gate on time, so most of the lateness is already there when the flight leaves the gate.
At a glance
- Best hour to fly: 6 a.m. (92% on time). Worst: 9 p.m. (50%).
- Best month: February (82%). Worst: June (63%).
- Most reliable airline here: Delta Air Lines (79%), vs Southwest Airlines at 71%.
- Biggest delay cause: late-arriving aircraft (50% of delay minutes).
- Year on year: getting worse (76% → 71%).
How late?
The on-time rate treats a flight 20 minutes late the same as one 5 hours late. Here's the split for flights leaving DAL: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 59% of the time. About 1 in 13 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 106 three hours or more; 1.4% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early71%
- 15–30 min late11%
- 30–60 min late8.7%
- 1–2 hours late5.2%
- 2–3 hours late1.5%
- 3+ hours late0.9%
- Diverted0.3%
- Cancelled1.4%
Share of all 70,436 scheduled flights, past 12 months, by arrival time against schedule.
Best time of day to fly out of DAL
Time of day matters more at DAL than almost anything else you control. Flights scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. arrived on time 92% of the time; at 9 p.m. it was 50%, a 42-point gap. Taken together, early departures (5–9 a.m.) ran 89% on time against 56% for the evening bank (5–10 p.m.). Early planes usually start the day at the airport, so they haven't had a chance to pick up delays elsewhere. By evening a late inbound aircraft, a crew running out of duty hours or an afternoon thunderstorm can push one late flight into the next.
Hour × month
Combine the two and the spread is wider still. The most reliable combination at DAL was a 6 a.m. departure in August (95% on time); the least, 10 p.m. in May (41%). If you can only move one thing, move the hour. Departure hour usually shifts the odds more than the month does.
Each cell: on-time rate for that departure hour in that calendar month, 2023–2026. Find your travel month, then look along the row for the greenest hour.
Best and worst months
June is the hardest month at DAL, with 63% of flights on time across 2023–2026; February is the best at 82%. Summer (June–August) runs 12 points worse than autumn: heavy schedules, peak loads and afternoon thunderstorms. Cancellations peak in January (4.7% of flights).
Airlines at DAL
Southwest Airlines runs 97% of departures from DAL, so DAL is effectively its hub. When Southwest Airlines has a bad day, so does the airport. Among airlines with at least 1,000 departures here, Delta Air Lines was the most reliable (79% on time) and Southwest Airlines the least (71%), a 8-point difference. On a route where both fly, that difference is worth more than a small fare gap.
| Airline | Departures | On time | Left on time | Cancelled | Typical arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 68,636 | 71% | 67% | 1.4% | −1 min |
| Delta Air Lines | 1,800 | 79% | 78% | 2.1% | −11 min |
Why flights are late at DAL
Airlines report a cause for every flight that arrives 15 or more minutes late. At DAL, 50% of delay minutes came from late-arriving aircraft: the plane showed up late from its previous flight, so the delay started somewhere else. Next is the airlines themselves at 31%. That's why the first flight of the morning is the safest bet: it has no earlier flight to inherit a delay from. Of the 966 cancellations, 64% were blamed on weather.
The average taxi from gate to takeoff is 13 minutes, shorter than at most large U.S. airports.
DAL vs nearby airports
DAL isn't the only option in Dallas. Over the past year DFW ran 71% on time with 2.6% of flights cancelled, against 71% and 1.4% at DAL. There's little to choose between them on reliability; pick on fares and convenience.
| Airport | Distance | Departures | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAL Dallas Love Field | — | 70,436 | 71% | 1.4% |
| DFW Dallas/Fort Worth | 12 mi | 313,076 | 71% | 2.6% |
Month by month
Over the latest 12 months 71% of DAL departures were on time, against 76% in the 12 months before, a decline of 4 points. The best recent month was September 2025 (82%); the worst, June 2026 (56%).
Worst cancellation days
The worst single day in the past year was Saturday, Jan 24, 2026, when 72% of 136 scheduled departures were cancelled. Days like that are usually a major storm, a system outage or a holiday peak hitting bad weather. No average predicts them, so on a stormy forecast, check your airline's travel waivers.
| Date | Departures | Cancelled | On time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 24, 2026 | 136 | 72% | 8% |
| Jan 25, 2026 | 195 | 68% | 8% |
| Jan 26, 2026 | 174 | 26% | 14% |
| May 19, 2026 | 196 | 24% | 20% |
| Jun 19, 2026 | 206 | 22% | 10% |
| May 10, 2026 | 220 | 19% | 31% |
| Nov 24, 2025 | 203 | 17% | 20% |
| Feb 14, 2026 | 151 | 16% | 37% |
| Nov 20, 2025 | 190 | 16% | 16% |
| Oct 24, 2025 | 211 | 16% | 48% |
Last flights of the day
The last flight of the day is a different bet. Across routes from DAL, each airline's final departure was cancelled 1.6% of the time, against 1.4% for its earlier flights, about the same. 1.4% of last flights landed 3+ hours late. The riskiest last flight out was Delta Air Lines to Atlanta (2.5% cancelled).
| Last flight to | Airline | Leaves | Cancelled | 3h+ late | On time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ATL Atlanta | Delta Air Lines | 6:39 p.m. | 2.5% | 4.1% | 74% |
| BWI Baltimore | Southwest Airlines | 7:55 p.m. | 3.0% | 2.5% | 58% |
| LGA New York | Southwest Airlines | 6:05 p.m. | 3.3% | 2.2% | 39% |
| DCA Washington | Southwest Airlines | 7:05 p.m. | 1.9% | 3.0% | 47% |
| MCO Orlando | Southwest Airlines | 8:05 p.m. | 3.3% | 1.4% | 53% |
| ATL Atlanta | Southwest Airlines | 7:15 p.m. | 1.9% | 2.7% | 55% |
| CMH Columbus | Southwest Airlines | 7:40 p.m. | 1.1% | 2.8% | 49% |
| FLL Fort Lauderdale | Southwest Airlines | 6:50 p.m. | 1.9% | 1.9% | 38% |
| IND Indianapolis | Southwest Airlines | 7:55 p.m. | 2.4% | 1.0% | 53% |
| HOU Houston | Southwest Airlines | 9:00 p.m. | 2.2% | 1.1% | 55% |
| COS Colorado Springs | Southwest Airlines | 7:20 p.m. | 0.9% | 2.3% | 60% |
| TPA Tampa | Southwest Airlines | 7:45 p.m. | 1.4% | 1.7% | 54% |
Each airline's last scheduled departure of the day on a route, on days it flies the route at least twice; past 12 months. Riskiest first.
Tips for flying out of DAL
- Book the earliest departure you can live with. At DAL the 6 a.m. flights do best.
- Traveling in June? Leave extra slack for anything that can't move: cruises, weddings, the last connection of the day.
- Choosing between airlines? Delta Air Lines has the better record here.
- Delayed already? Most delays at DAL come from late-arriving aircraft. If your inbound plane is late, your flight will be too, whatever the board says.
Routes from DAL
Where you're going matters too. From DAL, the most reliable busy route was to Midland (MAF, 77% on time) and the least reliable to New York (LGA, 57%). Flights into congested airports inherit their delays: an air traffic program at the destination holds planes on the ground here.
Least reliable first. Routes with at least 365 flights a year.
| To | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LGA New York | 1,557 | 57% | 3.3% | +9 min |
| CLT Charlotte | 378 | 58% | 1.1% | +9 min |
| OAK Oakland | 411 | 60% | 1.0% | +6 min |
| FLL Fort Lauderdale | 541 | 60% | 1.1% | +8 min |
| RDU Raleigh | 416 | 63% | 1.7% | +6 min |
| DCA Washington | 1,732 | 64% | 2.0% | +3 min |
| SJC San Jose | 409 | 64% | 1.7% | +3 min |
| ONT Ontario | 395 | 67% | 1.3% | +3 min |
| CHS Charleston | 365 | 67% | 0.8% | +3 min |
| CMH Columbus | 553 | 68% | 1.3% | +2 min |
| MDW Chicago | 2,192 | 68% | 2.1% | +2 min |
| LAX Los Angeles | 1,485 | 68% | 1.0% | +3 min |
| MIA Miami | 417 | 69% | 2.2% | +3 min |
| MCO Orlando | 2,653 | 69% | 1.6% | +2 min |
| DEN Denver | 2,966 | 69% | 1.4% | 0 min |
| BHM Birmingham | 983 | 69% | 1.5% | −1 min |
| MKE Milwaukee | 397 | 69% | 1.3% | +1 min |
| OMA Omaha | 434 | 69% | 0.9% | +1 min |
| SNA Santa Ana | 368 | 70% | 0.8% | +2 min |
| SMF Sacramento | 661 | 70% | 0.6% | 0 min |
| HRL Harlingen | 382 | 70% | 0.5% | +1 min |
| BNA Nashville | 2,443 | 70% | 1.4% | +1 min |
| PIT Pittsburgh | 366 | 70% | 0.8% | +4 min |
| TPA Tampa | 1,273 | 70% | 0.9% | +1 min |
| SLC Salt Lake City | 670 | 70% | 1.0% | +1 min |
| ECP Panama City | 700 | 70% | 0.3% | −1 min |
| LGB Long Beach | 484 | 70% | 1.2% | +2 min |
| BUR Burbank | 394 | 70% | 1.5% | −0 min |
| SAN San Diego | 1,597 | 70% | 1.3% | 0 min |
| PNS Pensacola | 485 | 71% | 0.6% | −1 min |
| LIT Little Rock | 1,040 | 71% | 0.7% | −2 min |
| BWI Baltimore | 1,828 | 72% | 1.9% | 0 min |
| MEM Memphis | 453 | 72% | 1.6% | −1 min |
| PHX Phoenix | 2,867 | 72% | 2.1% | −4 min |
| IND Indianapolis | 676 | 73% | 1.3% | −1 min |
| ELP El Paso | 1,770 | 73% | 1.0% | −2 min |
| HOU Houston | 4,044 | 73% | 1.9% | −5 min |
| AMA Amarillo | 1,263 | 73% | 0.9% | −6 min |
| LAS Las Vegas | 2,859 | 74% | 1.2% | −2 min |
| COS Colorado Springs | 786 | 74% | 0.9% | −3 min |
| MCI Kansas City | 2,050 | 74% | 1.4% | −3 min |
| MSY New Orleans | 2,281 | 75% | 1.1% | −3 min |
| STL St. Louis | 1,943 | 75% | 1.2% | −4 min |
| ABQ Albuquerque | 1,623 | 75% | 1.4% | −4 min |
| SAT San Antonio | 2,755 | 76% | 1.1% | −6 min |
| ORD Chicago | 374 | 76% | 0.8% | −4 min |
| LBB Lubbock | 1,494 | 76% | 1.3% | −6 min |
| AUS Austin | 2,335 | 76% | 1.0% | −7 min |
| TUL Tulsa | 1,047 | 76% | 1.0% | −6 min |
| ATL Atlanta | 3,297 | 76% | 1.9% | −7 min |
| MAF Midland | 1,353 | 77% | 0.8% | −9 min |
| VPS Valparaiso | 445 | 79% | 0.7% | −5 min |
Flights into DAL
Arriving rather than leaving? These are the routes into Dallas Love Field, least reliable first. The weakest is from Los Angeles (62% on time).
| From | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAX Los Angeles | 1,482 | 62% | 0.7% |
| SAN San Diego | 1,592 | 65% | 1.6% |
| MIA Miami | 419 | 68% | 0.7% |
| LGA New York | 1,558 | 69% | 4.2% |
| FLL Fort Lauderdale | 540 | 69% | 1.8% |
| LAS Las Vegas | 2,857 | 70% | 1.5% |
| DCA Washington | 1,733 | 70% | 2.1% |
| DEN Denver | 2,968 | 70% | 1.3% |
| ORD Chicago | 375 | 70% | 1.3% |
| MCO Orlando | 2,643 | 71% | 1.8% |
| SMF Sacramento | 661 | 73% | 0.6% |
| STL St. Louis | 1,944 | 74% | 1.4% |
| PHX Phoenix | 2,906 | 74% | 1.5% |
| BWI Baltimore | 1,794 | 74% | 2.1% |
| MDW Chicago | 2,204 | 74% | 1.9% |
| BNA Nashville | 2,471 | 74% | 1.1% |
| RDU Raleigh | 417 | 75% | 1.2% |
| TPA Tampa | 1,291 | 75% | 1.5% |
| ONT Ontario | 395 | 75% | 1.5% |
| MSY New Orleans | 2,279 | 76% | 1.1% |
| AUS Austin | 2,344 | 76% | 1.6% |
| SLC Salt Lake City | 670 | 76% | 1.2% |
| MEM Memphis | 453 | 76% | 1.1% |
| CLT Charlotte | 378 | 76% | 1.6% |
| OAK Oakland | 411 | 77% | 1.0% |
Showing the 25 least reliable of 52 routes into DAL.
Questions about DAL delays
What is the best time to fly out of DAL?
Flights scheduled at 6 a.m.: over the past year 92% of DAL departures at that hour arrived on time, against 50% at 9 p.m., the worst hour.
What month has the most flight delays at DAL?
June (63% on time). February is the best month (82%).
Which airline is most on time at DAL?
Delta Air Lines: 79% of its DAL departures arrived on time over the past year. Southwest Airlines had the weakest record at 71%.
Why are flights delayed at DAL?
The biggest cause was late-arriving aircraft (50% of delay minutes): the plane showed up late from its previous flight, so the delay started somewhere else. Then the airlines themselves (31%).
Is DAL or DFW more reliable?
Over the past year: DAL 71% on time, DFW 71%.
How often are flights cancelled at DAL?
1.4% of scheduled departures over the past 12 months, peaking in January at 4.7%.
Hours are scheduled local departure times. "On time" means arriving less than 15 minutes late at the destination; cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time. Method.