70% of flights from Dallas to Seattle arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is worse than the typical U.S. route. The 6 a.m. departures ran on time 82% of the time; the 10 p.m. ones 45%. Most reliable airline: Delta Air Lines (78%). 10% 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 DFW → SEA: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 60% of the time. About 1 in 13 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 65 three hours or more; 1.8% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early70%
- 15–30 min late11%
- 30–60 min late9.1%
- 1–2 hours late4.6%
- 2–3 hours late1.7%
- 3+ hours late1.5%
- Diverted0.1%
- Cancelled1.8%
Share of all 5,227 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 2,735 | 64% | 2.2% | +4 min | 10.3% | +62 min | American Airlines |
| Alaska Airlines | 1,758 | 76% | 1.2% | −4 min | 4.6% | +53 min | Alaska Airlines |
| Delta Air Lines | 720 | 78% | 1.7% | −6 min | 6.5% | +89 min | Delta Air Lines |
| Frontier Airlines | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | 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 DFW). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | American Airlines | Alaska Airlines | Delta Air Lines |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | — | 83% | 83% |
| 7 a.m. | 80% | — | 83% |
| 8 a.m. | 73% | 66% | — |
| 9 a.m. | — | 83% | — |
| 10 a.m. | 74% | — | — |
| noon | 72% | — | — |
| 1 p.m. | 63% | 89% | — |
| 2 p.m. | 52% | — | — |
| 3 p.m. | — | 83% | — |
| 4 p.m. | 59% | — | 71% |
| 5 p.m. | 63% | — | — |
| 6 p.m. | 62% | 68% | — |
| 7 p.m. | 55% | 68% | — |
| 8 p.m. | 54% | 63% | — |
| 10 p.m. | 45% | — | — |
Last flight of the day
On DFW → SEA, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 2.0% of the time, against 1.7% for its earlier flights, about the same. It arrived 3+ hours late 1.8% of the time (earlier flights: 1.5%). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 10:41 p.m. | 3.6% | 1.4% | 2.0% | first flight 7:10 a.m. |
| Alaska Airlines | 8:45 p.m. | 1.6% | 1.1% | 1.1% | first flight 6:24 a.m. |
| Delta Air Lines | 4:15 p.m. | 0.9% | 3.1% | 2.5% | first flight 6:30 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: February (80%). Worst: June (61%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 783 | 70% | 2.3% |
| Tuesday | 717 | 73% | 1.8% |
| Wednesday | 717 | 73% | 0.7% |
| Thursday | 782 | 71% | 0.8% |
| Friday | 764 | 69% | 1.7% |
| Saturday | 674 | 68% | 2.5% |
| Sunday | 790 | 64% | 2.7% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: weather 68 · airline 23 · air traffic/airport 2
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL 804 | 6:30 a.m. | 365 | 82% | 2.5% | −7 min | Delta Air Lines |
| AA 707 | 7:10 a.m. | 303 | 80% | 2.6% | −3 min | American Airlines |
| AA 767 | 8:25 a.m. | 357 | 73% | 1.1% | −0 min | American Airlines |
| AS 365 | 9:00 a.m. | 359 | 78% | 1.1% | −4 min | Alaska Airlines |
| AS 543 | 10:00 a.m. | 295 | 82% | 1.0% | −8 min | Alaska Airlines |
| AA 717 | 10:45 a.m. | 223 | 71% | 2.7% | −1 min | American Airlines |
| AS 415 | 1:02 p.m. | 351 | 83% | 2.0% | −7 min | Alaska Airlines |
| AA 757 | 1:33 p.m. | 364 | 70% | 2.2% | 0 min | American Airlines |
| AA 727 | 2:25 p.m. | 361 | 53% | 2.5% | +10 min | American Airlines |
| DL 803 | 4:15 p.m. | 190 | 73% | 1.6% | −5 min | Delta Air Lines |
| AA 2009 | 7:04 p.m. | 219 | 58% | 0.9% | +8 min | American Airlines |
| AA 2003 | 8:13 p.m. | 207 | 54% | 2.4% | +12 min | American Airlines |
| AS 550 | 8:45 p.m. | 207 | 66% | 1.0% | +3 min | Alaska Airlines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25, 2026 | 14 | 0% | 11 |
| Mar 11, 2026 | 13 | 0% | 0 |
| Jan 24, 2026 | 10 | 0% | 8 |
| Dec 20, 2025 | 14 | 7% | 0 |
| Oct 18, 2025 | 12 | 8% | 1 |
Questions
How often are flights from DFW to SEA on time?
70% of 5,227 scheduled flights from Dallas/Fort Worth, TX to Seattle, WA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 1.8% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly DFW to SEA?
Flights scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. were the most reliable (82% on time). The 10 p.m. departures were the least (45%).
Which airline is most on time from DFW to SEA?
Delta Air Lines: 78% of its 720 flights on the route arrived on time. American Airlines: 64%. Alaska Airlines: 76%.
What month has the most delays from DFW to SEA?
June (61% on time). The best month is February (80%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from DFW to SEA more likely to be cancelled?
Not much. Each airline's last DFW–SEA flight of the day was cancelled 2.0% of the time over the past year, against 1.7% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- SEA → DFW (return)
- Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) delays by hour
- Flights into Seattle-Tacoma (SEA)
- American Airlines on-time record
- Alaska Airlines on-time record
- Delta Air Lines 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.