78% of flights leaving Manchester (MHT) arrived on time over the past 12 months, 3 points better than the national average of 76%. About 22 flights leave MHT on a typical day; 2.5% were cancelled. 80% 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: 9 a.m. (92% on time). Worst: 5 p.m. (67%).
- Best month: September (87%). Worst: July (71%).
- Most reliable airline here: Southwest Airlines (85%), vs American Airlines at 75%.
- Biggest delay cause: late-arriving aircraft (45% of delay minutes).
- Year on year: about the same (79% → 78%).
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 MHT: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 50% of the time. About 1 in 14 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 44 three hours or more; 2.5% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early78%
- 15–30 min late6.2%
- 30–60 min late5.3%
- 1–2 hours late3.6%
- 2–3 hours late1.4%
- 3+ hours late2.3%
- Diverted0.4%
- Cancelled2.5%
Share of all 7,909 scheduled flights, past 12 months, by arrival time against schedule.
Best time of day to fly out of MHT
Time of day matters more at MHT than almost anything else you control. Flights scheduled to leave at 9 a.m. arrived on time 92% of the time; at 5 p.m. it was 67%, a 25-point gap. Taken together, early departures (5–9 a.m.) ran 88% on time against 66% 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. Cancellations cluster too: 7 p.m. departures were cancelled 6.0% of the time, against 2.5% overall.
Hour × month
Combine the two and the spread is wider still. The most reliable combination at MHT was a 6 a.m. departure in October (96% on time); the least, 7 p.m. in July (46%). 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
July is the hardest month at MHT, with 71% of flights on time across 2023–2026; September is the best at 87%. Summer (June–August) runs 12 points worse than autumn: heavy schedules, peak loads and afternoon thunderstorms. Winter costs 10 points against autumn. Cancellations peak in January (4.8% of flights).
Airlines at MHT
American Airlines runs 49% of departures from MHT. Among airlines with at least 1,000 departures here, Southwest Airlines was the most reliable (85% on time) and American Airlines the least (75%), a 10-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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 3,874 | 75% | 78% | 3.7% | −10 min |
| Southwest Airlines | 2,798 | 85% | 84% | 0.7% | −8 min |
| United Airlines | 731 | 75% | 78% | 3.6% | −10 min |
| JetBlue | 506 | 74% | 80% | 1.8% | −5 min |
Why flights are late at MHT
Airlines report a cause for every flight that arrives 15 or more minutes late. At MHT, 45% 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 27%. 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 199 cancellations, 79% were blamed on weather.
The average taxi from gate to takeoff is 16 minutes, about typical for a large U.S. airport.
MHT vs nearby airports
MHT isn't the only option in Boston. Over the past year BOS ran 72% on time with 3.0% of flights cancelled; PVD ran 76% on time with 3.1% of flights cancelled, against 78% and 2.5% at MHT. MHT has the best record in the area.
| Airport | Distance | Departures | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MHT Manchester-Boston | — | 7,909 | 78% | 2.5% |
| BOS Boston Logan | 45 mi | 144,991 | 72% | 3.0% |
| ORH Worcester | 51 mi | 1,457 | 68% | 3.5% |
Month by month
Over the latest 12 months 78% of MHT departures were on time, against 79% in the 12 months before: essentially unchanged. The best recent month was September 2025 (86%); the worst, August 2026 (69%).
Worst cancellation days
The worst single day in the past year was Sunday, Jan 25, 2026, when 89% of 19 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 25, 2026 | 19 | 89% | 5% |
| Feb 23, 2026 | 18 | 56% | 17% |
| Jan 26, 2026 | 18 | 44% | 0% |
| Jul 21, 2026 | 23 | 35% | 48% |
| Feb 22, 2026 | 20 | 25% | 60% |
| Jul 18, 2026 | 22 | 23% | 27% |
| Aug 10, 2026 | 23 | 22% | 48% |
| Aug 7, 2026 | 24 | 21% | 63% |
| Jun 14, 2026 | 25 | 20% | 56% |
| Jan 28, 2026 | 17 | 18% | 53% |
Last flights of the day
The last flight of the day is a different bet. Across routes from MHT, each airline's final departure was cancelled 3.7% of the time, against 2.2% for its earlier flights (1.7× as often). Late in the day crews run short on duty hours, aircraft arrive late from elsewhere, and with no later flight to fold passengers into, cancelling is easier for the airline. 3.6% of last flights landed 3+ hours late. The riskiest last flight out was American Airlines to Washington (6.1% cancelled).
| Last flight to | Airline | Leaves | Cancelled | 3h+ late | On time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCA Washington | American Airlines | 5:16 p.m. | 6.1% | 6.1% | 60% |
| IAD Washington | United Airlines | 7:37 p.m. | 4.8% | 3.9% | 72% |
| ORD Chicago | American Airlines | 6:07 p.m. | 4.8% | 3.4% | 68% |
| CLT Charlotte | American Airlines | 5:10 p.m. | 4.0% | 4.0% | 65% |
| PHL Philadelphia | American Airlines | 7:31 p.m. | 4.4% | 3.0% | 73% |
| BWI Baltimore | Southwest Airlines | 4:72 p.m. | 1.1% | 2.5% | 76% |
| MDW Chicago | Southwest Airlines | 6:25 p.m. | 1.2% | 2.3% | 66% |
| MCO Orlando | Southwest Airlines | 12:30 p.m. | 0.0% | 2.6% | 69% |
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 MHT
- Book the earliest departure you can live with. At MHT the 9 a.m. flights do best.
- Traveling in July? Leave extra slack for anything that can't move: cruises, weddings, the last connection of the day.
- Choosing between airlines? Southwest Airlines has the better record here.
- Need to arrive tonight? Don't book the last flight out of MHT; the one before it leaves you a backup.
- Delayed already? Most delays at MHT come from late-arriving aircraft. If your inbound plane is late, your flight will be too, whatever the board says.
Routes from MHT
Where you're going matters too. From MHT, the most reliable busy route was to Baltimore (BWI, 88% on time) and the least reliable to Philadelphia (PHL, 80%). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DCA Washington | 1,057 | 65% | 6.4% | −3 min |
| CLT Charlotte | 973 | 75% | 3.5% | −10 min |
| IAD Washington | 731 | 75% | 3.6% | −10 min |
| MCO Orlando | 804 | 78% | 0.9% | −5 min |
| PHL Philadelphia | 1,230 | 80% | 2.4% | −12 min |
| ORD Chicago | 614 | 81% | 2.1% | −16 min |
| MDW Chicago | 529 | 83% | 0.8% | −10 min |
| BWI Baltimore | 1,721 | 88% | 0.8% | −8 min |
Flights into MHT
Arriving rather than leaving? These are the routes into Manchester-Boston, least reliable first. The weakest is from Washington (61% on time).
| From | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCA Washington | 1,057 | 61% | 7.1% |
| MDW Chicago | 528 | 73% | 0.8% |
| CLT Charlotte | 972 | 76% | 3.0% |
| IAD Washington | 731 | 76% | 3.0% |
| MCO Orlando | 804 | 77% | 0.6% |
| ORD Chicago | 614 | 80% | 1.9% |
| PHL Philadelphia | 1,231 | 81% | 3.1% |
| BWI Baltimore | 1,721 | 83% | 1.4% |
Questions about MHT delays
What is the best time to fly out of MHT?
Flights scheduled at 9 a.m.: over the past year 92% of MHT departures at that hour arrived on time, against 67% at 5 p.m., the worst hour.
What month has the most flight delays at MHT?
July (71% on time). September is the best month (87%).
Which airline is most on time at MHT?
Southwest Airlines: 85% of its MHT departures arrived on time over the past year. American Airlines had the weakest record at 75%.
Why are flights delayed at MHT?
The biggest cause was late-arriving aircraft (45% of delay minutes): the plane showed up late from its previous flight, so the delay started somewhere else. Then the airlines themselves (27%).
Is MHT or BOS or PVD more reliable?
Over the past year: MHT 78% on time, BOS 72%, PVD 76%.
How often are flights cancelled at MHT?
2.5% of scheduled departures over the past 12 months, peaking in January at 4.8%.
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.