75% of flights from New York to New Orleans arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is worse than the typical U.S. route. The 7 a.m. departures ran on time 86% of the time; the 3 p.m. ones 65%. Most reliable airline: Delta Air Lines (77%). 13% 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 JFK → MSY: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 50% of the time. About 1 in 13 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 60 three hours or more; 5.3% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early75%
- 15–30 min late6.0%
- 30–60 min late6.0%
- 1–2 hours late4.6%
- 2–3 hours late1.3%
- 3+ hours late1.7%
- Diverted0.0%
- Cancelled5.3%
Share of all 1,142 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 720 | 77% | 5.4% | −12 min | 6.5% | +79 min | Delta Air Lines |
| JetBlue | 415 | 72% | 5.3% | −6 min | 9.2% | +74 min | JetBlue |
| Frontier Airlines | 7 | — | — | — | — | — | 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 JFK). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | Delta Air Lines | JetBlue |
|---|---|---|
| 8 a.m. | 78% | 79% |
| 3 p.m. | 66% | — |
| 4 p.m. | 81% | — |
Last flight of the day
On JFK → MSY, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 4.0% of the time, against 6.6% for its earlier flights, so here the last flight is actually the safer one. It arrived 3+ hours late 1.4% of the time (earlier flights: 2.1%). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 3:31 p.m. | 3.4% | 1.1% | 7.0% | first flight 8:30 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: April (87%). Worst: July (64%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 168 | 73% | 7.1% |
| Tuesday | 152 | 76% | 6.6% |
| Wednesday | 152 | 85% | 3.3% |
| Thursday | 165 | 74% | 2.4% |
| Friday | 169 | 81% | 2.4% |
| Saturday | 167 | 74% | 6.6% |
| Sunday | 169 | 64% | 8.9% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: airline 26 · weather 25 · air traffic/airport 10
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 1368 | 8:00 a.m. | 364 | 78% | 7.4% | −12 min | Delta Air Lines |
| B6 75 | 9:00 a.m. | 172 | 78% | 5.2% | −9 min | JetBlue |
| DL 1387 | 4:30 p.m. | 356 | 76% | 3.4% | −12 min | Delta Air Lines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2025 | 4 | 0% | 1 |
| Feb 23, 2026 | 4 | 0% | 4 |
| Dec 14, 2025 | 4 | 0% | 1 |
| Jan 25, 2026 | 3 | 0% | 2 |
| Jul 6, 2026 | 3 | 0% | 2 |
Nearby airport alternatives
Other ways to make the same trip, using airports within 60 miles of New York or New Orleans. None has been clearly more reliable than JFK → MSY.
| Route | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| JFK → MSY (this route) | 1,142 | 75% | 5.3% |
| EWR → MSY Newark to New Orleans | 1,218 | 78% | 2.2% |
| LGA → MSY LaGuardia to New Orleans | 1,391 | 67% | 4.2% |
Questions
How often are flights from JFK to MSY on time?
75% of 1,142 scheduled flights from New York, NY to New Orleans, LA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 5.3% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly JFK to MSY?
Flights scheduled to leave at 7 a.m. were the most reliable (86% on time). The 3 p.m. departures were the least (65%).
Which airline is most on time from JFK to MSY?
Delta Air Lines: 77% of its 720 flights on the route arrived on time. JetBlue: 72%.
What month has the most delays from JFK to MSY?
July (64% on time). The best month is April (87%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from JFK to MSY more likely to be cancelled?
No, the opposite. Each airline's last JFK–MSY flight of the day was cancelled 4.0% of the time over the past year, against 6.6% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- MSY → JFK (return)
- New York JFK (JFK) delays by hour
- Flights into New Orleans (MSY)
- Delta Air Lines on-time record
- JetBlue 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.