RDU → DCARaleigh/Durham to Washington

live

Direct flights from Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Washington (DCA): 59 nonstop departures observed each week across 2 airlines. 86% of the last 58 tracked flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule. The median arrival is 17 minutes early. No cancellations were recorded across the 58 tracked flights. The nonstop covers 365 km, an estimated 58 minutes in the air. Measured by Pro Flight Search from live flight boards at Raleigh/Durham and Washington. Updated 29 October 2026 at 10:18 UTC.

Today, RDU → DCA

Thu 29 Oct · local times
  1. 06:00 DL5006Delta Air Lines On scheduleT2 DCA est. 07:01sched 07:19
  2. 06:04 AA2985American On scheduleT2 DCA est. 07:18 +5sched 07:13

Checked RDU board 06:03 · DCA board 06:18

RDU Raleigh/Durham busy · +16
DCA Washington smooth · +0
365 km · ~0h 58m est.
dep bank 06:00–20:4559x weekly
Runs reliable · 2 airlines · 59x weekly · nonstop
86% on time

of the last 58 tracked RDU → DCA flights arrived within 15 minutes

Median arrival delay is −17 min. 0 of 58 tracked legs cancelled in the sample. Will a delayed flight be cancelled? →

Median arrival−17 minacross the last 58 arrivals
Flight time~0h 58mestimated from route distance
Weekly departures59x2 direct airlines on the leg
Cancelled0.0%recent route rate · 0 of 58

The week

scheduled departures · origin local time
06121824
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
American AirlinesDelta Air Lines

Each mark is a scheduled departure at its origin-local time, observed operating in the last 7 days. Today is highlighted.

Who flies it

observed on the boards · 7 days
American AirlinesAA87% on time

Flights AA2985 06:04 daily · AA5627 10:02 Sa · AA4180 10:26 Mo Tu We Th Fr Su · AA5626 14:00 Mo Tu We Th Fr Su

Delta Air LinesDL85% on time

Flights DL5006 06:00 daily · DL5310 15:49 daily · DL5198 19:43 Mo Tu We Th Fr Su

History

operated legs · board outcomes
10-28AA2985dep +64 → arr+32
10-28AA4177dep +39 → arr+1
10-28AA4180dep +15 → arr−27
10-28AA5404dep +27 → arr−36
10-28AA5452dep +47 → arr−13
10-28AA5626dep +16 → arr−36
10-28DL5006dep +70 → arr+27
10-28DL5198dep +20 → arr−35
10-28DL5310dep +38 → arr+0
10-27AA2985dep +11 → arr−19
10-27AA4177dep +24 → arr−12
10-27AA4180dep +15 → arr−25
10-27AA5404dep +10 → arr−56
10-27AA5452dep +36 → arr−29
10-27AA5626dep +14 → arr−51
10-27DL5006dep +14 → arr−28
10-27DL5198dep +47 → arr−17
10-27DL5310dep +23 → arr−8
10-26AA2985dep +25 → arr+1
10-26AA4177dep +40 → arr−5
10-26AA4180dep +85 → arr+46
10-26AA5404dep +6 → arr−58
10-26AA5452dep +42 → arr−20
10-26AA5626dep +27 → arr−33
10-26DL5006dep +14 → arr−19
10-26DL5198dep +16 → arr−45
10-26DL5310dep +81 → arr+39
10-25AA2985dep +10 → arr−22
10-25AA4177dep +25 → arr−12
10-25AA4180dep +8 → arr−32
10-25AA5404dep +140 → arr+81
10-25AA5452dep +54 → arr−5
10-25AA5626dep +13 → arr−51
10-25DL5006dep +15 → arr−26
10-25DL5198dep +18 → arr−40
10-25DL5310dep +277 → arr+238
10-24AA2985dep +18 → arr−13
10-24AA4177dep +4 → arr−40
10-24AA5627dep +6 → arr−31
10-24DL5006dep +0 → arr−42

Actual board outcomes rather than schedules, paired departure and arrival per flight and day.

Full board history, day by day →

Airports right now

live boards
RDURaleigh/Durham +16 min busy 🌫 overcast · NNE 4 kt Full RDU delay board →
DCAWashington +0 min smooth 🌤 overcast · S 4 kt Full DCA delay board →

Weather lens

Conditions are tightest at RDU and DCA: a 38% chance of a 15+ minute delay. In this weather, the more delayed of the two airports is typically about +8 min. Both figures come from the two airports' delay records in similar weather. See live delays → · Weather risk by airport →

How the Raleigh/Durham to Washington route actually runs

Pro Flight Search records official board updates for nonstop RDU to DCA flights through the day: schedules, estimates, gate pushes and actual departures. The verdict above comes from operated flights, so it reflects what this route does rather than what the timetable promises.

Planning around a delay? Live airport delays · Weather delay risk map · Will a delayed flight be cancelled? · Do planes make up time in the air? · How we measure

Cite this data

Journalists, bloggers, and researchers may cite this page with attribution and a link to Pro Flight Search.

Suggested citation

Pro Flight Search: Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Washington (DCA) route reliability, measured from operated flights on official airport boards.

Canonical URL
https://proflightsearch.com/search-flights/RDU-DCA
How we measure this →

RDU to DCA questions

Is RDU–DCA running on time right now?

Smooth skies ahead. The departure side at RDU is the weaker end, route health score 89/100. The airports section above carries the live status and delay window at both ends.

Morning or evening flight on RDU–DCA?

Operators schedule morning departures around 06:00 and evening departures around 18:20 from RDU. Earlier flights typically land before destination-airport delays accumulate later in the day; check the DCA delay card to confirm conditions when you'd arrive.

How long is the flight from RDU to DCA?

Great-circle distance is 365 km. With typical jet cruise speed plus taxi, climb and descent, expect roughly 56–61 min gate-to-gate on this route.

How often does RDU–DCA fly?

2 carriers operate this route, around 59 flights a week between them. Compare carrier days and times in the airline list above.