Washington–Baltimore Airports Compared: DCA vs IAD vs BWI Delays and Cancellations
Washington–Baltimore travelers choose between 3 airports: Reagan National (DCA), Dulles (IAD) and BWI. Across January 2023 to December 2025, delay rates for flights departing them ranged from 19.1% at IAD to 24.3% at BWI, a spread of 5.3 points. Cancellations in 2024 to 2025 ranged from 1.20% to 2.73%. The table uses BTS data for flights departing each airport.
Delay window: January 2023 to December 2025. Cancellation window: 2024 to 2025. Last updated: 2026-10-01. 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.
Washington–Baltimore airports head to head| Airport | Delayed 15+ min | Flights | Cancelled | Before 8 AM | After 8 PM | Best hour | Worst hour | Worst month | Largest carrier in this window |
|---|
| Reagan National (DCA) | 21.7% | 411,692 | 2.73% | 9.9% | 27.5% | 5 AM (8.8%) | 6 PM (31.2%) | July (31.3%) | PSA Airlines (26.6%) |
| Dulles (IAD) | 19.1% | 157,996 | 1.20% | 12.0% | 22.4% | 5 AM (8.7%) | 9 PM (38.3%) | July (29.0%) | United Airlines (61.7%) |
| BWI | 24.3% | 286,893 | 1.24% | 10.4% | 39.5% | 5 AM (7.5%) | 10 PM (46.8%) | July (39.2%) | Southwest Airlines (74.7%) |
Pick this airport if
- Pick IAD if you want the lowest overall delay rate (19.1% of departures arrived 15+ minutes late).
- Pick IAD if avoiding cancellations matters most (1.20% of scheduled departures cancelled, 2024 to 2025).
- Pick DCA for a flight before 8 AM (9.9% late, the lowest of the set).
- Pick IAD if you must fly after 8 PM (22.4% late, the lowest of the set).
What shapes each airport
- DCA: Reagan National is one of three US airports the FAA classes as Level 3 (slot-coordinated), where scheduled operations are capped per hour during slot-controlled hours.
- IAD: United Airlines flies 61.7% of departures, so the airport's record tracks its schedule.
- BWI: Southwest Airlines flies 74.7% of departures, so the airport's record tracks its schedule.
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Questions
- Which Washington–Baltimore airport has the fewest delays?
- Dulles (IAD) has the lowest delay rate at 19.1% across 157,996 departures, January 2023 to December 2025. The others: DCA 21.7% and BWI 24.3%.
- Which Washington–Baltimore airport cancels the fewest flights?
- Dulles (IAD) at 1.20% of 110,437 scheduled departures, 2024 to 2025.
- Is the cheapest Washington–Baltimore airport worth a higher delay risk?
- The delay-rate gap across these airports is 5.3 points. This page compares reliability only, not fares. Check a specific flight in the predictor before you decide.