Houston (IAH) to Philadelphia (PHL): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on IAH–PHL. February 2026 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 56% — a gap of 35 points. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 24 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.5%
- Flights/day
- 4.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 20m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,325 mi
Best airline from IAH to PHL
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 82% | 14 min | 1.3% | 1,824 |
| American Airlines | 78% | 34 min | 4.0% | 1,301 |
| Spirit Airlines | 72% | 28 min | 3.9% | 357 |
| PSA Airlines | 72% | 44 min | 2.1% | 190 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAH to PHL
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (53%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 28 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 84% | 17 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 21 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 17 min |
| Friday | 78% | 23 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 30 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 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 operations43%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAH to PHL delayed?
- 21% of IAH–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 24 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from IAH to PHL?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 1,824 flights. 4 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 (90% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (53%). 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 20m over 1,325 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are IAH to PHL flights cancelled?
- 2.5% 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 IAH to PHL?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2026 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 35-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,739 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.