FlightRecord

Atlanta (ATL) to Phoenix (PHX): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

When you fly ATL to PHX matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 88% on-time in October 2024 to just 61% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 68%), which matters most in the rough months.

On-time
76%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
18 min
completed flights
Cancelled
0.9%
Flights/day
10
last 12 months
Duration
4h 8m
scheduled
Distance
1,587 mi

Best airline from ATL to PHX

4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
American Airlinesmost reliable79%26 min0.7%1,300
Delta Air Lines75%15 min1.0%4,551
Southwest Airlines75%14 min0.3%1,283
Frontier Airlines66%34 min1.1%358

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for ATL to PHX flights50%75%100%June 2024: 77% on-time (307 flights)77Jun 2024July 2024: 61% on-time (310 flights)61August 2024: 80% on-time (299 flights)80September 2024: 82% on-time (288 flights)82Sep 2024October 2024: 88% on-time (315 flights)88November 2024: 79% on-time (299 flights)79December 2024: 79% on-time (308 flights)79Dec 2024January 2025: 73% on-time (274 flights)73February 2025: 78% on-time (254 flights)78March 2025: 79% on-time (365 flights)79Mar 2025April 2025: 76% on-time (350 flights)76May 2025: 72% on-time (332 flights)72June 2025: 62% on-time (315 flights)62Jun 2025July 2025: 67% on-time (316 flights)67August 2025: 75% on-time (301 flights)75September 2025: 77% on-time (291 flights)77Sep 2025October 2025: 78% on-time (322 flights)78November 2025: 77% on-time (321 flights)77December 2025: 76% on-time (334 flights)76Dec 2025January 2026: 75% on-time (287 flights)75February 2026: 72% on-time (257 flights)72March 2026: 85% on-time (349 flights)85Mar 2026April 2026: 78% on-time (358 flights)78May 2026: 67% on-time (340 flights)67

Best time to fly from ATL to PHX

Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (56%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, ATL to PHX5 a.m.: 84% on-time (108 flights)56 a.m.: 89% on-time (234 flights)67 a.m.: 88% on-time (367 flights)78 a.m.: 81% on-time (1,282 flights)89 a.m.: 82% on-time (206 flights)910 a.m.: 70% on-time (261 flights)1011 a.m.: 84% on-time (672 flights)1112 p.m.: 83% on-time (367 flights)121 p.m.: 78% on-time (471 flights)132 p.m.: 73% on-time (110 flights)143 p.m.: 72% on-time (68 flights)154 p.m.: 74% on-time (491 flights)165 p.m.: 70% on-time (532 flights)176 p.m.: 71% on-time (658 flights)187 p.m.: 64% on-time (513 flights)198 p.m.: 64% on-time (410 flights)209 p.m.: 70% on-time (593 flights)2110 p.m.: 56% on-time (146 flights)22scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday76%17 min
Tuesday77%17 min
Wednesday78%18 min
Thursday74%14 min
Friday74%20 min
Saturdaybest80%16 min
Sunday71%22 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft33%
  • Airline operations46%
  • National airspace system16%
  • Weather5%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from ATL to PHX delayed?
24% of ATL–PHX flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 18 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from ATL to PHX?
American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 1,300 flights. 4 airlines flew ATL–PHX frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from ATL to PHX?
Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 10 p.m. have the worst (56%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from ATL to PHX?
The scheduled ATL–PHX flight time averages 4h 8m over 1,587 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
How often are ATL to PHX flights cancelled?
0.9% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
What is the worst month to fly from ATL to PHX?
July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 7,492 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.