Washington to Houston (DCA–IAH) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

DCA Airport Page →
1,207 mi airlines 86/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 30 flights Verified 23h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
UA1450
UA United
737
6:00 AM
EDT T2
8:42 AM
CDT
3h 42m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5224
AA American
CR9
6:30 AM
EDT T2
9:12 AM
CDT
3h 42m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA697
UA United
320
8:00 AM
EDT T2
10:47 AM
CDT
3h 47m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA2190
UA United
738
11:24 AM
EDT T2
1:31 PM
CDT
3h 7m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5253
AA American
CR9
12:23 PM
EDT T2
3:05 PM
CDT
3h 42m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA382
UA United
B38M
12:27 PM
EDT T2
2:33 PM
CDT
3h 6m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5132
AA American
CR9
1:44 PM
EDT T2
4:20 PM
CDT
3h 36m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA4618
AA American
E75
1:54 PM
EDT T2
4:45 PM
CDT
3h 51m
M T W T F S S
Prices
EK6051
EK Emirates
B38M
2:45 PM
EDT T2
5:25 PM
CDT
3h 40m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1381
UA United
319
3:16 PM
EDT T2
5:23 PM
CDT
3h 7m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1785
UA United
319
6:22 PM
EDT T2
8:55 PM
CDT
3h 33m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5029
AA American
CR9
7:55 PM
EDT T2
10:33 PM
CDT
3h 38m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA4694
AA American
E75
7:59 PM
EDT T2
10:48 PM
CDT
3h 49m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1678
UA United
320
8:42 PM
EDT T2
11:27 PM
CDT
3h 45m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5163
AA American
CR9
6:00 AM
CDT TA
10:08 AM
EDT
3h 8m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA4766
AA American
E75L
6:30 AM
CDT TA
10:40 AM
EDT
3h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA512
UA United
319
7:35 AM
CDT TC
11:36 AM
EDT
3h 1m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA4584
AA American
E75
9:10 AM
CDT TA
1:19 PM
EDT
3h 9m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5224
AA American
CR9
9:45 AM
CDT TA
1:49 PM
EDT
3h 4m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA2311
UA United
738
9:45 AM
CDT TC
1:43 PM
EDT
2h 58m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA654
UA United
737
12:00 PM
CDT TC
3:59 PM
EDT
2h 59m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA625
UA United
319
3:39 PM
CDT TC
7:29 PM
EDT
2h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA5132
AA American
CR9
4:50 PM
CDT TA
9:00 PM
EDT
3h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1346
UA United
319
4:55 PM
CDT TC
9:05 PM
EDT
3h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA4618
AA American
E75
5:15 PM
CDT TA
9:27 PM
EDT
3h 12m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA462
UA United
319
6:12 PM
CDT TC
10:07 PM
EDT
2h 55m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1627
UA United
320
6:14 PM
CDT TC
10:17 PM
EDT
3h 3m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA750
UA United
738
7:32 PM
CDT TE
11:32 PM
EDT
3h
M T W T F S S
Prices
EK6101
EK Emirates
737
7:50 PM
CDT TC
11:50 PM
EDT
3h
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA2224
UA United
38M
7:50 PM
CDT TE
11:50 PM
EDT
3h
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP
2-STOP Loading...
Washington to Houston
3 carriers, 86 flights/week nonstop.
3 Airlines 86 Flights/wk 1,207 mi 3h 6m nonstop -1h behind 78 1-stop hubs

DCA–IAH is served by 3 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, American Airlines and Emirates lead the route. The flight covers 1,207 miles in approximately 3h 6m. Beyond nonstop, 78 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop DCA–IAH service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
UA United Airlines 48 319, 320, 737, 738, B38M 3h06-3h47 65% Star Alliance
AA American Airlines 31 CR9, E75 3h36-3h51 65% Oneworld
EK Emirates 7 B38M 3h40 65%
Aircraft on this route
319 Airbus A319 – UA
320 Airbus A320 – UA
737 Boeing 737-700 – UA
738 Boeing 737-800 – UA
B38MEK, UA
CR9 Bombardier CRJ-900 – AA
E75 Embraer E175 – AA
Alliance coverage
Star Alliance: UA (48 flights/wk, 56%)
Oneworld: AA (31 flights/wk, 36%)
Unaffiliated: EK (7 flights/wk, 8%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, DCA to IAH direction.
Mon
13
flights
Tue
13
flights
Wed
13
flights
Thu
13
flights
Fri
13
flights
Sat
9
flights
Sun
12
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
14
Nonstop flights
86
Outbound / wk
105
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for DCA to IAH.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
78
Hubs
~5h
Fastest
~28h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
4,202
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.

On-Time Performance

What to expect at each end of your journey.
Outbound
DCA → IAH
65%
Moderate delays possible. Allow buffer time.
Departing
65%
Arriving
86%
Return
IAH → DCA
73%
Moderate delays possible. Allow buffer time.
Departing
73%
Arriving
87%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. DCA delays → IAH delays →

Other ways to reach Houston from Washington

Nearby airports with service to George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
Metric DCA→IAH IAD→IAH BWI→IAH
Distance from DCA 23 mi 30 mi
Nonstop airlines 3 7 5
Weekly flights 86 86 49
Flight time 3h 6m 2h 30m 3h 7m
Departure OTP 65%
Airports within 200 miles of DCA with service to George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
-1h
Houston is 1 hour behind Washington.
DCA: EDT · IAH: CDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Washington, it's 5:00 PM in Houston.
Distance & Flight Time
1,207 mi / 1,942 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 3h 6m to 3h 51m.
Getting to DCA

The DC Metro (Yellow and Blue lines) connects the airport directly to downtown Washington in 15–25 minutes from most central stations ($2.25–$3.85 depending on distance and time of day). The Reagan National Airport station is inside the terminal complex with a direct indoor walkway. Metro runs from about 05:00 to midnight Sunday–Thursday, and until 01:00 on Friday–Saturday.Taxis and Uber/Lyft from the city centre cost $15–30 depending on destination and traffic. DCA is one of the most transit-accessible major US airports. Driving is straightforward via the George Washington Memorial Parkway; short-term parking at the terminal costs from $5 for 20 minutes. No personal vehicles are allowed to idle at arrivals; use the cell-phone lot or commercial pick-up zones.

Getting from IAH

No direct rail from IAH. The METRO bus 102 (IAH Express) runs to downtown Houston's transit center (60–90 min, $1.25). Taxis to downtown Houston cost $50–70. Ride-hails pick up at the designated Rideshare zones outside baggage claim on the lower level.IAH has five terminals (A–E) connected by an underground tunnel with trams. Terminal D handles international arrivals. Rental car agencies are in a consolidated facility adjacent to Terminal C; a free IAH Connector bus runs between terminals and the rental car center. The Galleria / Uptown area costs $35–50 by ride-hail.

Houston Climate

Humid subtropical climate. Hot, humid, and wet for much of the year. Summers are brutal (33–38°C) with high humidity and near-daily afternoon thunderstorms. Severe storms with hail and high winds regularly cause ground stops from April through September. Houston's flooding risk is significant. Heavy rain events, including tropical system remnants, have flooded airport roads, cutting off surface access even when the airport itself remains operational.

Winters are mild (5–18°C) with occasional ice storms. These are rare but highly disruptive when they occur. Hurricane season (June–November) requires monitoring for Gulf storms. October through March has the best flying weather.

DCA–IAH Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Washington to Houston route.
Route details
Distance1,207 mi / 1,942 km
Flight time3h 6m to 3h 51m
Time difference-1 hour
Airlines (nonstop)3
Weekly flights86 out / 105 return
1-stop connections78 hubs
Origin: DCA
IATA / ICAODCA / KDCA
TimezoneAmerica/New_York
Passengers/yr25.5M
Elevation15 ft / 5 m
Destination: IAH
IATA / ICAOIAH / KIAH
TimezoneAmerica/Indiana/Tell_City
Passengers/yr46.7M
Elevation97 ft / 30 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about DCA to IAH flights.
Nonstop flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to George Bush Intercontinental Airport take approximately 3h 6m to 3h 51m. The route covers 1,207 miles.
3 airlines operate nonstop service: American Airlines, Emirates and United Airlines.
There are approximately 86 nonstop flights per week from DCA to IAH. The return direction has about 105 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through CRW, CAK, DAY, HOU, GSO, BWI, SRQ, NAS, EYW, GRR, YUL, CLT, CMH, SAN, GSP, CHS, CHA, EWR, ORD, PIT, IND, JAX, XNA, PNS, ATL, DTW, MSY, JFK, DFW, PBI, BTR, MEM, SDF, TUL, JAN, HSV, STL, FLL, BHM, MCO, YYZ, OMA, SAV, MIA, BNA, DEN, OKC, PHL, MCI, RDU, SAT, LGA, CLE, MKE, TYS, MSP, CVG, MDW, ORF, AUS, LIT, BOS, TPA, ALB, DSM, RSW, ECP, PHX, SFO, LAS, SEA, MGM, SLC, LAX, PDX, SJU, ICT and DAL. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Houston is 1 hour behind Washington.
Yes, return flights from IAH to DCA are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include IAD, BWI and RIC. See the Alternatives section for a full comparison.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
See the On-Time Performance section for the latest delay data at both airports. This shows departure and arrival reliability to help you plan.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.

Flights from DCA to IAH

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH) are connected by nonstop service from American Airlines, Emirates and United Airlines. With 86 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.

DCA to IAH Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from DCA to IAH ranges from 3 hours 6 minutes to 3 hours 51 minutes. The route covers a distance of 1,207 miles (1,942 km). There are approximately 86 weekly flights outbound and 105 return, totaling 191 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

78 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 5 hours via CRW. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Dulles (IAD), Baltimore (BWI) and Richmond (RIC).