83% of flights from Houston to New Orleans arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is better than the typical U.S. route. The 7 a.m. departures ran on time 92% of the time; the 6 p.m. ones 77%. Most reliable airline: Spirit Airlines (87%). 6% of flights arrived more than an hour late or not at all.
How late?
The on-time rate treats a flight 20 minutes late the same as one 5 hours late. Here's the split for IAH → MSY: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 51% of the time. About 1 in 18 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 169 three hours or more; 0.1% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early83%
- 15–30 min late5.6%
- 30–60 min late5.3%
- 1–2 hours late3.8%
- 2–3 hours late1.1%
- 3+ hours late0.6%
- Diverted0.1%
- Cancelled0.1%
Share of all 3,043 scheduled flights, past 12 months, by arrival time against schedule.
By airline
| Airline | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | 1h+ late | Avg when late | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 2,913 | 83% | 0.1% | −8 min | 5.5% | +62 min | United Airlines 94%, Mesa Airlines 5%, SkyWest 1% |
| Spirit Airlines | 103 | 87% | 0.0% | −14 min | 3.9% | +68 min | Spirit Airlines |
| Frontier Airlines | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | Frontier Airlines |
Airline = the name on the ticket. Regional flights (e.g. "Delta Connection") count under the ticketing airline, and the operator is listed.
Best time of day to fly
On-time rate by scheduled departure hour (local time at IAH). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | United Airlines |
|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | 92% |
| 9 a.m. | 84% |
| 11 a.m. | 87% |
| 2 p.m. | 85% |
| 3 p.m. | 75% |
| 4 p.m. | 84% |
| 6 p.m. | 77% |
| 8 p.m. | 79% |
| 9 p.m. | 79% |
| 10 p.m. | 84% |
Last flight of the day
On IAH → MSY, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 0.0% of the time, against 0.1% for its earlier flights, so here the last flight is actually the safer one. It arrived 3+ hours late 1.0% of the time (earlier flights: 0.5%). It matters more than the numbers suggest. Miss an earlier flight and there's another one that evening; miss the last one and you're usually waiting until morning.
| Airline | Last departure | Last: cancelled | Last: 3h+ late | Earlier: cancelled | Next morning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 10:15 p.m. | 0.0% | 0.8% | 0.1% | first flight 7:30 a.m. |
Last flight = the airline's last scheduled departure on this route that day, on days it flies the route at least twice; past 12 months. Times are typical scheduled times over the latest three months.
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: October (88%). Worst: July (64%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 465 | 84% | 0.7% |
| Tuesday | 423 | 85% | 0.0% |
| Wednesday | 417 | 86% | 0.0% |
| Thursday | 434 | 84% | 0.0% |
| Friday | 450 | 81% | 0.0% |
| Saturday | 406 | 84% | 0.0% |
| Sunday | 448 | 81% | 0.2% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: weather 3 · airline 1
Month by month
Flight numbers on this route
Regular flights with at least 120 scheduled trips in the past year. Sorted by departure time.
| Flight | Departs | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA 491 | 7:20 a.m. | 344 | 92% | 0.0% | −13 min | United Airlines |
| UA 575 | 9:45 a.m. | 229 | 81% | 0.0% | −5 min | United Airlines |
| UA 2385 | 11:55 a.m. | 361 | 87% | 0.0% | −10 min | United Airlines |
| UA 2140 | 6:50 p.m. | 302 | 76% | 0.0% | −4 min | United Airlines |
| UA 2170 | 8:25 p.m. | 296 | 78% | 0.3% | −7 min | United Airlines |
| UA 2474 | 10:15 p.m. | 329 | 84% | 0.0% | −8 min | United Airlines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 23, 2026 | 7 | 0% | 0 |
| May 1, 2026 | 9 | 22% | 0 |
| Jun 19, 2026 | 8 | 25% | 0 |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 8 | 25% | 0 |
| Nov 7, 2025 | 9 | 33% | 0 |
Nearby airport alternatives
Other ways to make the same trip, using airports within 60 miles of Houston or New Orleans. None has been clearly more reliable than IAH → MSY.
| Route | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| IAH → MSY (this route) | 3,043 | 83% | 0.1% |
| HOU → MSY Houston Hobby to New Orleans | 2,289 | 82% | 0.2% |
Questions
How often are flights from IAH to MSY on time?
83% of 3,043 scheduled flights from Houston, TX to New Orleans, LA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 0.1% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly IAH to MSY?
Flights scheduled to leave at 7 a.m. were the most reliable (92% on time). The 6 p.m. departures were the least (77%).
Which airline is most on time from IAH to MSY?
Spirit Airlines: 87% of its 103 flights on the route arrived on time. United Airlines: 83%.
What month has the most delays from IAH to MSY?
July (64% on time). The best month is October (88%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from IAH to MSY more likely to be cancelled?
No, the opposite. Each airline's last IAH–MSY flight of the day was cancelled 0.0% of the time over the past year, against 0.1% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- MSY → IAH (return)
- Houston Bush Intercontinental (IAH) delays by hour
- Flights into New Orleans (MSY)
- United Airlines on-time record
- Spirit Airlines on-time record
- Frontier Airlines on-time record
- Connecting off this flight? Check the risk
Domestic flights by the airlines that report to the U.S. DOT, plus their regional partners. "On time" means arriving less than 15 minutes after schedule; cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time. Past performance is a guide, not a forecast. Method.