Delta Air Lines Delay and Cancellation Rates
Delta Air Lines (DL) flights arrived 15 or more minutes late 17.8% of the time across 2,983,184 flights, January 2023 to December 2025 (BTS). That is number 1 of 10 among the mainline carriers in DelayGuard's BTS data (1 is the lowest delay rate), against 21.2% for all reporting carriers. 1.00% of 2,035,506 scheduled flights were cancelled in 2024 to 2025, against 1.41% overall.
These figures are historical US domestic rates, not a forecast for one departure. Use the delay risk check for your flight before you book.
Delay window: January 2023 to December 2025. Cancellation window: 2024 to 2025. Last updated: 2026-10-18. Delayed means a flight arrived 15 or more minutes after its scheduled arrival, the BTS and DOT on-time standard. Cancelled and diverted flights are excluded from delay rates. Historical BTS figures are separate from DelayGuard's per-flight model probability and from live FAA, weather and ground-delay status.
Predict a Delta Air Lines flight
Delta Air Lines by airport
| Airport | Delayed 15+ min | Flights | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta (ATL) | 20.0% | 676,474 | 1.07% |
| Minneapolis (MSP) | 18.4% | 200,648 | 0.69% |
| Detroit (DTW) | 19.5% | 176,165 | 0.80% |
| Salt Lake (SLC) | 17.4% | 159,835 | 0.50% |
| Los Angeles (LAX) | 17.8% | 108,712 | 0.62% |
| Sea-Tac (SEA) | 16.7% | 96,302 | 0.57% |
| JFK | 20.6% | 88,962 | 1.14% |
| LaGuardia (LGA) | 22.5% | 80,617 | 1.88% |
| Logan (BOS) | 21.2% | 76,567 | 0.96% |
| Orlando (MCO) | 22.4% | 62,465 | 1.30% |
Busiest Delta Air Lines routes
| Route | Delayed 15+ min | Flights | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCO to ATL | 23.4% | 15,925 | 1.06% |
| ATL to MCO | 29.1% | 15,904 | 1.00% |
| LGA to ATL | 18.2% | 13,851 | 1.41% |
| ATL to LGA | 20.2% | 13,826 | 1.37% |
| ATL to TPA | 25.3% | 12,738 | 1.43% |
| TPA to ATL | 19.6% | 12,738 | 1.48% |
| FLL to ATL | 22.8% | 12,211 | 1.04% |
| ATL to FLL | 25.6% | 12,203 | 1.03% |
| ATL to LAX | 23.5% | 11,861 | 0.70% |
| LAX to ATL | 19.6% | 11,850 | 0.71% |
| DCA to ATL | 18.0% | 11,262 | 1.78% |
| ATL to DCA | 26.9% | 11,224 | 1.64% |
| JAX to ATL | 14.6% | 11,067 | 1.30% |
| ATL to JAX | 24.0% | 11,065 | 1.26% |
| ATL to DTW | 18.9% | 10,951 | 0.45% |
What shapes Delta Air Lines' record
Delta's record changes sharply by airport. Its flights from Sea-Tac (SEA) ran 16.7% late, against 22.5% from LaGuardia (LGA) (airports with at least 5,000 Delta departures).
Delays peak in July (26.1%) and are lowest in October (11.7%).
BTS reports each flight under the carrier that operated it. Flights flown by regional partners such as SkyWest, Republic, Envoy, PSA and Endeavor are reported under those operators, so this is the record of Delta's own aircraft and crews.
How often is Delta Air Lines delayed or cancelled?
Data period: delays January 2023 to December 2025; cancellations 2024 to 2025. Last updated: 2026-10-18.
- How often is Delta Air Lines delayed?
- 17.8% of Delta Air Lines flights arrived 15 or more minutes late across 2,983,184 flights, January 2023 to December 2025 (BTS). All reporting carriers: 21.2%.
- How often is Delta Air Lines cancelled?
- 1.00% of 2,035,506 scheduled Delta Air Lines flights were cancelled in 2024 to 2025 (BTS), against 1.41% for all reporting carriers.
- When is Delta Air Lines delayed most?
- By scheduled hour, 5 AM departures ran 8.3% late and 7 PM ran 26.7% late (January 2023 to December 2025, BTS). By month, delays peak in July (26.1%) and are lowest in October (11.7%).
- Which airports delay Delta Air Lines most?
- Among airports with at least 5,000 Delta departures, Sea-Tac (SEA) was lowest at 16.7% late and LaGuardia (LGA) was highest at 22.5% (January 2023 to December 2025, BTS).
Questions
- Can DelayGuard predict my Delta flight?
- Yes. Enter the route or flight number in the predictor for a model probability that combines history, weather and FAA data. Predictions are estimates, not guarantees.