Houston (IAH) to Philadelphia (PHL): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on IAH–PHL. February 2026 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but July 2026 dropped to 55% — a gap of 36 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 70%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 25 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.6%
- Flights/day
- 5.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 21m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,325 mi
Best airline from IAH to PHL
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 80% | 15 min | 1.2% | 1,886 |
| American Airlines | 77% | 33 min | 4.1% | 1,401 |
| Spirit Airlines | 72% | 27 min | 4.7% | 297 |
| Frontier Airlines | 72% | 25 min | 1.4% | 72 |
| PSA Airlines | 71% | 50 min | 2.0% | 197 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAH to PHL
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (43%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 74% | 28 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 20 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 20 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 19 min |
| Friday | 77% | 23 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 35 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 30 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft38%
- Airline operations42%
- National airspace system15%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAH to PHL delayed?
- 22% of IAH–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 25 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from IAH to PHL?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 1,886 flights. 5 airlines flew IAH–PHL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAH to PHL?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (43%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from IAH to PHL?
- The scheduled IAH–PHL flight time averages 3h 21m over 1,325 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are IAH to PHL flights cancelled?
- 2.6% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from IAH to PHL?
- July 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2026 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 36-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from IAH
Other ways to fly to Philadelphia (PHL)
Related guides
Based on 3,878 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.