Itineraries flown on 20+ days in the Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026 schedule · each leg’s record Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

No clear winner: Delta’s DSM → ATL flights land within a few points of 9 in 10 on time whatever the hour.

Nonstops


Delta	DSM	ATL	2h 11m	89%	2.4%	1,288	Flying now

Best connections, one ticket

Most reliable Quickest (80%+ on time)

Ranked by chance you reach Atlanta on time. Total trip = scheduled departure to arrival, layover included (Atlanta is 1 h ahead of Des Moines). Layovers up to 4 hours. Pick a connection for the details.


Southwest Details →	DSM 05:10 → MDW 06:30WN 1772	2h 25m Chicago	MDW 08:55 → ATL 11:45WN 4154	5h 35m	95%	82%
United Details →	DSM 06:00 → ORD 07:40UA 1856	2h 49m Chicago	ORD 10:29 → ATL 13:44UA 2684	6h 44m	96%	81%
Delta Details →	DSM 06:50 → MSP 08:12DL 5402 · flown by Endeavor	2h 28m Minneapolis	MSP 10:40 → ATL 14:05DL 1046	6h 15m	94%	79%
Delta Details →	DSM 06:08 → DTW 08:59DL 5414 · flown by Endeavor	1h 26m Detroit	DTW 10:25 → ATL 12:25DL 2856	5h 15m	91%	77%
United Details →	DSM 06:20 → IAH 08:49UA 1982	3h 06m Houston	IAH 11:55 → ATL 15:16UA 4079 · flown by Mesa	7h 56m	99%	76%
Delta Details →	DSM 10:25 → DTW 13:13DL 5048 · flown by Endeavor	2h 47m Detroit	DTW 16:00 → ATL 18:04DL 1467	6h 39m	96%	74%
Delta Details →	DSM 14:45 → MSP 15:58DL 5490 · flown by Endeavor	2h 37m Minneapolis	MSP 18:35 → ATL 22:15DL 1026	6h 30m	96%	74%
American Details →	DSM 05:00 → ORD 06:39AA 4519 · flown by Republic	1h 33m Chicago	ORD 08:12 → ATL 11:14AA 1363	5h 15m	93%	68%
Tight connection: often missed
American Details →	DSM 13:04 → PHL 16:44AA 5165 · flown by PSA	51m Philadelphia	PHL 17:35 → ATL 19:55AA 3041	5h 51m	64%	40%
United Details →	DSM 11:23 → ORD 13:03UA 1410	52m Chicago	ORD 13:55 → ATL 17:10UA 356	4h 47m	53%	38%
American Details →	DSM 16:48 → DFW 18:59AA 2421	2h 11m Dallas-Fort Worth	DFW 21:10 → ATL 00:19 +1AA 2749	6h 31m	69%	36%

Same layover, different day-part

How often the first flight arrives too late to connect (45 min minimum), for one-ticket layovers of 45–80 minutes.

Morning

LGA · 51m · leaves 07:10 23%

Afternoon and evening

MSP · 55m · leaves 18:03 30%

PHL · 51m · leaves 13:04 36%

Delays build through the day, so an afternoon first leg eats the layover. A short connection is fine early in the morning and a gamble later on.

Mixing airlines

One ticketMiss it and the airline rebooks you; bags go through. 45 min is enough.

Separate ticketsMiss it and you buy a new ticket. Re-check bags, clear security again: we require 90 min.


United UA 5288 DSM 11:34 → DEN Delta DL 957 DEN 15:15 → ATL Connection details →	2h 30m	7h 48m	100%	84%
United UA 1856 DSM 06:00 → ORD Delta DL 1178 ORD 09:45 → ATL Connection details →	2h 05m	5h 51m	96%	81%
American AA 4519 DSM 05:00 → ORD United UA 2684 ORD 10:29 → ATL Connection details →	3h 50m	7h 44m	97%	80%

Rank all connections, any airlines →

Regional partners count as the airline that sells them: SkyWest flying Delta Connection is one Delta ticket.

How these are worked out. Makes the connection: share of the last year’s flights where the first flight arrived with at least 45 minutes to spare (90 on separate tickets). Arrives on time: first flight not cancelled × connection made × second flight not cancelled and arriving within 15 minutes. Not yet counted: the second flight also leaving late (which helps), gate-to-gate distance at the hub, and rebooking after a missed connection.

About this data: US DOT on-time records, Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, all US airlines; regional flights count under the airline that sells them. Schedules (which flights and connections exist, and their times) are as of Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026; seasonal flights outside that window aren’t ranked. Rebuilt monthly. JSON