Washington (IAD) to Phoenix (PHX): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly IAD to PHX matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 95% on-time in October 2024 to just 59% in July 2025. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (93% vs 73%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 3.2
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 2m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,956 mi
Best airline from IAD to PHX
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 12 min | 0.7% | 1,670 |
| Southwest Airlines | 71% | 17 min | 0.6% | 727 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAD to PHX
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (63%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 12 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 84% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 11 min |
| Friday | 79% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 83% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 82% | 15 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft39%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAD to PHX delayed?
- 19% of IAD–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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from IAD to PHX?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 1,670 flights. 2 airlines flew IAD–PHX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAD to PHX?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (63%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from IAD to PHX?
- The scheduled IAD–PHX flight time averages 5h 2m over 1,956 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are IAD to PHX flights cancelled?
- 0.7% 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 IAD to PHX?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 36-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,397 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.