Washington (IAD) to Philadelphia (PHL): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Washington (IAD) to Philadelphia (PHL) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 212 departures over the past year, roughly 4 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 82% arrived on time. Cancellations are the bigger caveat: 4.1% of scheduled flights never departed.
- On-time
- 82%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 4.1%
- Flights/day
- 0.58
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 13m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 135 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAD to PHL
Aim for departures around 12 p.m. (87% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (74%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 19 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 10 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 91% | 4 min |
| Thursday | 83% | 5 min |
| Friday | 83% | 11 min |
| Saturday | 71% | 39 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft30%
- Airline operations14%
- National airspace system42%
- Weather14%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAD to PHL delayed?
- 18% of IAD–PHL flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 13 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAD to PHL?
- Departures around 12 p.m. have the best record (87% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (74%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from IAD to PHL?
- The scheduled IAD–PHL flight time averages 1h 13m over 135 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 18% of the time.
- How often are IAD to PHL flights cancelled?
- 4.1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07 — several times the typical US rate, so consider earlier departures or backup options.
- What day of the week is most reliable for IAD to PHL?
- Wednesday flights have the best record at 91% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are meaningful — Monday trails at 76%.
Explore related pages
More routes from IAD
Other ways to fly to Philadelphia (PHL)
Related guides
Based on 217 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.