Boston (BOS) to Philadelphia (PHL): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on BOS–PHL. November 2024 flights landed on schedule 87% of the time, but October 2025 dropped to 67% — a gap of 20 points. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 20 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.3%
- Flights/day
- 13
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 38m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 280 mi
Best airline from BOS to PHL
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 81% | 13 min | 2.5% | 3,157 |
| JetBlue Airways | 77% | 16 min | 2.0% | 1,939 |
| American Airlines | 75% | 27 min | 2.4% | 4,819 |
| Frontier Airlines | 73% | 20 min | 1.7% | 412 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from BOS to PHL
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (55%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 74% | 22 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 20 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 22 min |
| Friday | 75% | 20 min |
| Saturdaybest | 82% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 24 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft52%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system15%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from BOS to PHL delayed?
- 23% of BOS–PHL 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 20 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from BOS to PHL?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 3,157 flights. 4 airlines flew BOS–PHL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from BOS to PHL?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (55%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from BOS to PHL?
- The scheduled BOS–PHL flight time averages 1h 38m over 280 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are BOS to PHL flights cancelled?
- 2.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from BOS to PHL?
- October 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 67% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 20-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 10,328 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.