Route profile
DFW→IAH
Flight reliability, delays and best times to fly from Dallas–Fort Worth to Houston, 224 miles.
Right now
Aviation weather is not currently a factor.
Aviation weather is not currently a factor.
Route reliability
July 2023 – July 2026
Better than 4% of comparable major US routes (4,598 compared)
Calculated from 16,933 flights. How this is calculated
DFW → IAH arrives on time 71.3% of the time; the return trip, IAH → DFW, arrives on time 73.2% of the time, a 2.0-point gap between the two directions of the same city pair.
DFW → IAH spends 30.5 minutes on the ground on a 224-mile trip: 19.9 minutes from pushback to wheels-up at DFW and 10.6 minutes from touchdown to gate at IAH.
Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics · Data covering July 2023 – July 2026
What stands out
The airline matters unusually much on this route, a wider carrier-to-carrier gap than 96% of 2,692 comparable routes.
Envoy Air arrived on time 81.9% of the time, against 60.1% for Frontier Airlines, flying the exact same route.
Source: FlyerIntel analysis of US DOT BTS data · July 2023 – July 2026 · Ranked against every other route with the same kind of figure and at least 2,692 in the comparison.
Why DFW → IAH flights are cancelled
July 2023 – July 2026
DFW → IAH cancelled 474 of 16,933 scheduled flights — about 1 in every 36. The reason filed most often was extreme weather, 79.1% of the cancellations coded on this route — about 1 in every 45 scheduled flights.
Share of cancellations
Of 474 cancelled departures carrying a reason code.
What each reason means
Conditions the carrier judged severe enough to stop the flight: a blizzard, a hurricane, a line of thunderstorms.
375 cancellations, 79.1% of the total.
Crew, maintenance, aircraft cleaning, baggage or fueling: what BTS counts as within the carrier’s own control.
52 cancellations, 11.0% of the total.
Airport capacity, air traffic control flow programs, heavy traffic and ordinary bad weather. A system decision, not the airline’s.
47 cancellations, 9.9% of the total.
A terminal evacuation, a security breach, screening equipment failure, or screening queues over 29 minutes.
0 cancellations, 0.0% of the total.
Reason codes are the operating airline’s own filing with US DOT, not an independent finding of fault. Ordinary bad weather is filed under air traffic, so weather’s full share is larger than its bar.
474 coded cancellations were recorded on DFW → IAH; the section appears from 50.
When it goes wrong
July 2023 – July 2026
71 min late
against a median of 2 min early
DFW → IAH has an average that understates its risk: a typical arrival is 2 min early, but the worst tenth are 73 minutes worse than that. If the trip has something unmissable at the end of it, the median is the wrong number to plan against.
Percentiles over 16,933 operations; cancelled and diverted flights are counted separately.
Will your connection be tight enough?
Layovers at IAH after arriving from DFW.
| Connection time | Chance of missing | Reads as |
|---|---|---|
| 30 min | 46% | Likely to miss |
| 45 min | 28% | High risk |
| 60 min | 19% | High risk |
| 90 min | 12% | Some risk |
| 120 min | 7.6% | Some risk |
This is one leg of a connection. Gate changes and the next flight's own schedule matter too. And a connection can fail before delay is even the question — this route cancels 2.80% of the time and diverts 0.17% of the time, which a late arrival never shows up in.
Chance of missing is the share of 16,430 arrivals on this route that landed later than the connection time less 30 minutes to reach the next gate.
The worst tenth of arrivals on this route land at least 71 minutes late (90th-percentile gate arrival delay), over 16,933 operations.
Any other layover length: connection checker.
Best time to fly
DFW → IAH flights departing 5–9 AM arrived on time 79.9% of the time, against 60.5% for 9 PM–5 AM departures, a gap of 19.4 percentage points.
By day and hour
On-time arrival rate for each weekday and scheduled departure hour, in local time at the departure airport (DFW).
Hour of departure matters more than day of the week: hourly averages sit a typical 9.1 points from the route-wide rate, weekday averages 2.8 points.
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On-time rate, % · stronger color, fewer on time
- 40–49
- 50–59
- 60–69
- 70–79
- 80–89
- Fewer than 120 flights, not scored
Source: FlyerIntel analysis of US DOT BTS data · July 2023 – July 2026 · On time is arrival within 15 minutes of schedule. Cells round to whole percentages; the table shows one decimal.
No slot is named best or worst: too few reach 500 flights. Departures before 7 AM (649 flights) are not drawn: no slot in those hours has enough flights to score.
View as tableHide table
| Hour | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 AM–8 AM | 76.8% on time322 flights | 79.7% on time298 flights | 79.7% on time289 flights | 76.0% on time315 flights | 72.4% on time325 flights | 75.5% on time286 flights | 78.2% on time300 flights |
| 8 AM–9 AM | 74.8% on time152 flights | 81.3% on time151 flights | 82.4% on time143 flights | 80.3% on time148 flights | 77.2% on time153 flights | 69.0% on time146 flights | 77.8% on time145 flights |
| 9 AM–10 AM | 78.1% on time140 flights | 83.0% on time137 flights | 80.4% on time147 flights | 78.2% on time144 flights | 77.0% on time137 flights | 71.1% on time126 flights | 103 flights, too few to score |
| 10 AM–11 AM | 81.1% on time165 flights | 81.4% on time169 flights | 77.6% on time165 flights | 71.6% on time175 flights | 74.5% on time163 flights | 77.6% on time166 flights | 71.1% on time169 flights |
| 11 AM–12 PM | 31 flights, too few to score | 25 flights, too few to score | 33 flights, too few to score | 35 flights, too few to score | 36 flights, too few to score | 20 flights, too few to score | 35 flights, too few to score |
| 12 PM–1 PM | 78.7% on time196 flights | 81.0% on time207 flights | 79.4% on time209 flights | 80.0% on time199 flights | 80.1% on time194 flights | 73.7% on time162 flights | 75.8% on time186 flights |
| 1 PM–2 PM | 21 flights, too few to score | 28 flights, too few to score | 22 flights, too few to score | 27 flights, too few to score | 20 flights, too few to score | 31 flights, too few to score | 29 flights, too few to score |
| 2 PM–3 PM | 75.1% on time218 flights | 82.9% on time218 flights | 79.4% on time222 flights | 81.7% on time212 flights | 75.7% on time223 flights | 81.5% on time192 flights | 72.4% on time228 flights |
| 3 PM–4 PM | 70.6% on time139 flights | 74.3% on time144 flights | 71.5% on time134 flights | 62.2% on time132 flights | 74.6% on time129 flights | 118 flights, too few to score | 71.3% on time126 flights |
| 4 PM–5 PM | 56.9% on time198 flights | 67.0% on time198 flights | 66.8% on time199 flights | 63.4% on time201 flights | 58.5% on time198 flights | 65.9% on time189 flights | 60.5% on time205 flights |
| 5 PM–6 PM | 62.7% on time201 flights | 65.6% on time215 flights | 62.1% on time213 flights | 51.5% on time202 flights | 57.8% on time195 flights | 73.1% on time173 flights | 51.7% on time183 flights |
| 6 PM–7 PM | 60.5% on time124 flights | 110 flights, too few to score | 116 flights, too few to score | 50.0% on time121 flights | 52.1% on time125 flights | 115 flights, too few to score | 46.7% on time128 flights |
| 7 PM–8 PM | 62.1% on time181 flights | 103 flights, too few to score | 72.9% on time162 flights | 77.6% on time156 flights | 58.9% on time182 flights | 108 flights, too few to score | 60.6% on time146 flights |
| 8 PM–9 PM | 77 flights, too few to score | 67 flights, too few to score | 65 flights, too few to score | 76 flights, too few to score | 65 flights, too few to score | 77 flights, too few to score | 82 flights, too few to score |
| 9 PM–10 PM | 53.4% on time121 flights | 60.7% on time123 flights | 62.8% on time127 flights | 116 flights, too few to score | 58.3% on time131 flights | 64.2% on time127 flights | 119 flights, too few to score |
| 10 PM–11 PM | 59.0% on time125 flights | 78 flights, too few to score | 94 flights, too few to score | 62.9% on time144 flights | 64.0% on time126 flights | 88 flights, too few to score | 58.0% on time149 flights |
By departure window
By departure hour
- 12 AM to 4 AM: too few flights to score
- 5 AM: 94.6% on time from 614 flights
- 6 AM: too few flights to score
- 7 AM: 76.8% on time from 2,135 flights
- 8 AM: 77.5% on time from 1,038 flights
- 9 AM: 78.6% on time from 934 flights
- 10 AM: 76.4% on time from 1,172 flights
- 11 AM: 70.7% on time from 215 flights
- 12 PM: 78.6% on time from 1,353 flights
- 1 PM: 76.3% on time from 178 flights
- 2 PM: 78.3% on time from 1,513 flights
- 3 PM: 70.4% on time from 922 flights
- 4 PM: 62.7% on time from 1,388 flights
- 5 PM: 60.6% on time from 1,382 flights
- 6 PM: 56.7% on time from 839 flights
- 7 PM: 66.3% on time from 1,038 flights
- 8 PM: 61.7% on time from 509 flights
- 9 PM: 57.9% on time from 864 flights
- 10 PM: 63.4% on time from 804 flights
- 11 PM: too few flights to score
Why DFW → IAH runs late
July 2023 – July 2026
the inbound aircraft was late, so this flight started late
crew, maintenance, boarding and fueling, all within the carrier’s control
airspace and airport capacity, including weather-driven flow control
weather severe enough to stop this flight specifically
screening or terminal security incidents
Share of the delay minutes US DOT attributed to each cause for DFW → IAH. Only delays of 15 minutes or more are attributed.
Late-arriving aircraft is the largest cause on DFW → IAH, at 44.3%: flights here mostly leave late because the plane came in late, and the day shows it: 5–9 AM departures arrived on time 79.9% of the time and 9 PM–5 AM departures 60.5%.
How this route holds up in bad weather
July 2023 – July 2026
The harder-hit end is the one the flight leaves from, where a cancellation keeps it from departing at all. Bad weather cancels 7.0 times the normal rate at DFW against 3.4 times at IAH. Cancelled in bad weather against normal hours: DFW 10.4% against 1.5%, IAH 4.1% against 1.2%. Flights that did leave DFW in bad weather arrived on time 56.4% of the time, against 74.4% in normal hours.
Bad weather and normal hours at the airports
Scheduled departures, July 2023 – July 2026| Departures from | DFW | IAH |
|---|---|---|
| Cancelled in bad weather | 10.4% | 4.1% |
| Cancelled in normal hours | 1.5% | 1.2% |
| Arrived on time, bad weather | 56.4% | 63.8% |
| Arrived on time, normal hours | 74.4% | 78.6% |
| Departures in bad weather | 72,822 | 28,922 |
Of the carriers on this route, United Airlines (4.8% cancelled against 10.6% for the other carriers at DFW) cancelled the fewest departures from DFW in bad weather and SkyWest Airlines (15.0% cancelled against 9.9% for the other carriers at DFW) the most.
This route’s airlines in bad weather at DFW
All departures from DFW| Airline | Bad-weather departures | Cancelled | Other carriers |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 2,209 | 4.8%below the others | 10.6% |
| Frontier Airlines | 2,192 | 5.9%below the others | 10.5% |
| American Airlines | 38,491 | 10.0%about level | 10.9% |
| Envoy Air | 15,244 | 11.9%above the others | 9.9% |
| SkyWest Airlines | 5,926 | 15.0%above the others | 9.9% |
These are airport figures, not route figures: every scheduled departure from DFW and IAH, to any destination, in hours the weather report called bad. The airline rows count each carrier’s departures from DFW on every route.
Weather source and limits. In full: DFW (airlines), IAH, What Weather Costs Each Airport, Who Cancels More When the Weather Turns, Airports That Change Places When Weather Turns.
Airlines on this route
Carriers with at least 200 flights, by the airline that operated each one.
| Carrier | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Median delay | Severe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 7,635 | 63.5% | 3.29% | 3 min | 15.8% |
| United Airlines | 5,614 | 77.0% | 1.82% | -5 min | 8.9% |
| Envoy Air | 2,716 | 81.9% | 3.20% | -6 min | 5.6% |
| Frontier Airlines | 528 | 60.1% | 4.55% | 6 min | 16.9% |
| SkyWest Airlines | 235 | 76.7% | 3.40% | -4 min | 11.0% |
American Airlines flew 45.6% of the 16,728 flights listed. Frontier Airlines cancelled 4.55% of its flights here against 1.82% for United Airlines.
Envoy Air arrived on time 21.8 percentage points more often than Frontier Airlines on this route.
Other ways to fly Dallas–Fort Worth to Houston
Airport pairs in the same two city markets, as the DOT defines them.
| Route | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Median delay | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DFW→IAH this route Dallas–Fort Worth to Houston | 16,933 | 71.3% | 2.80% | -2 min | 40 |
| DAL→HOU Dallas to Houston | 12,674 | 76.8% | 1.98% | -5 min | 62 |
DAL → HOU is the most reliable pairing for this journey at 76.8% on time, against 71.3% for DFW → IAH.
Flying to IAH from the Dallas–Fort Worth area? Compare DFW, DAL for IAH, with the same test for what counts as a real difference.
Flights on this route
Flight numbers with at least 600 operations here and still on the schedule.
UA2670 (7:00 AM) arrived on time 74.8% of the time, 18.0 points more often than AA2209 (9:00 PM) at 56.8%.
Weekly and seasonal patterns
By day of week
Tuesday is historically the most reliable day and Sunday the least, a gap of 8.8 percentage points.
By month
- Jan: 76.5%
- Feb: 83.6%
- Mar: 72.0%
- Apr: 71.0%
- May: 61.1%
- Jun: 59.8%
- Jul: 65.1%
- Aug: 69.1%
- Sep: 74.4%
- Oct: 74.3%
- Nov: 75.7%
- Dec: 75.9%
June is historically the weakest month and February the strongest, a spread of 23.8 percentage points.
Reliability over time
July 2023 – July 2026
- July 2023: 67.8% from 441 flights
- August 2023: 76.0% from 458 flights
- September 2023: 76.0% from 425 flights
- October 2023: 76.3% from 442 flights
- November 2023: 80.1% from 371 flights
- December 2023: 84.5% from 349 flights
- January 2024: 69.9% from 368 flights
- February 2024: 86.4% from 367 flights
- March 2024: 71.4% from 421 flights
- April 2024: 71.1% from 406 flights
- May 2024: 49.9% from 459 flights
- June 2024: 63.0% from 438 flights
- July 2024: 58.2% from 424 flights
- August 2024: 72.7% from 455 flights
- September 2024: 76.8% from 474 flights
- October 2024: 81.6% from 510 flights
- November 2024: 80.3% from 469 flights
- December 2024: 74.2% from 466 flights
- January 2025: 77.7% from 505 flights
- February 2025: 78.8% from 452 flights
- March 2025: 74.3% from 514 flights
- April 2025: 69.3% from 495 flights
- May 2025: 63.6% from 504 flights
- June 2025: 58.4% from 458 flights
- July 2025: 69.4% from 457 flights
- August 2025: 58.7% from 464 flights
- September 2025: 70.8% from 498 flights
- October 2025: 65.1% from 503 flights
- November 2025: 67.4% from 474 flights
- December 2025: 71.5% from 502 flights
- January 2026: 80.6% from 475 flights
- February 2026: 86.4% from 413 flights
- March 2026: 70.3% from 489 flights
- April 2026: 72.6% from 523 flights
- May 2026: 68.0% from 518 flights
- June 2026: 58.1% from 464 flights
- July 2026: 64.3% from 482 flights
Over the most recent 12 months (2025-08 to 2026-07), on-time arrivals averaged 69.3% against 73.1% in the 12 months before — declining by 3.8 percentage points.
Data and methodology
Calculated by FlyerIntel from 16,933 DFW → IAH flight records from the US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics, covering July 2023 – July 2026. Late means 15 or more minutes past scheduled arrival; cancelled and diverted flights are left out of on-time rates.
Full methodology · Data sources · Report a problem
Related research: How Long a Layover Needs to Be · Two Airlines on One Route · Best Time of Day to Fly From Major US Airports
Analysis last recomputed