Newark (EWR) to Phoenix (PHX): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly EWR to PHX matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 89% on-time in October 2024 to just 62% in May 2025. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.5%
- Flights/day
- 6.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 28m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,133 mi
Best airline from EWR to PHX
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 79% | 16 min | 1.3% | 2,958 |
| American Airlines | 78% | 22 min | 1.5% | 2,049 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from EWR to PHX
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (65%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 81% | 17 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 82% | 15 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 23 min |
| Friday | 79% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 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 aircraft46%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system21%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from EWR to PHX delayed?
- 21% of EWR–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 EWR to PHX?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 2,958 flights. 2 airlines flew EWR–PHX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from EWR to PHX?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (65%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from EWR to PHX?
- The scheduled EWR–PHX flight time averages 5h 28m over 2,133 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are EWR to PHX flights cancelled?
- 1.5% 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 EWR to PHX?
- May 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,038 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.