FlightRecord

Philadelphia (PHL) to Buffalo (BUF): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Philadelphia (PHL) to Buffalo (BUF) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 326 departures over the past year, roughly 6 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 69% arrived on time, noticeably below the national average of 78%. Cancellations are the bigger caveat: 5.3% of scheduled flights never departed.

On-time
69%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
27 min
completed flights
Cancelled
5.3%
Flights/day
0.89
last 12 months
Duration
1h 24m
scheduled
Distance
279 mi

Best airline from PHL to BUF

3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Republic Airwaysmost reliable74%27 min5.0%119
American Airlines71%14 min3.3%184
PSA Airlines65%36 min6.4%311

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for PHL to BUF flights50%75%100%June 2024: 81% on-time (37 flights)81Jun 2024July 2024: 69% on-time (96 flights)69August 2024: 66% on-time (95 flights)66September 2024: 80% on-time (50 flights)80Sep 2024October 2024: 90% on-time (31 flights)90November 2024: 100% on-time (4 flights)100June 2025: 38% on-time (25 flights)38Jun 2025July 2025: 58% on-time (57 flights)58August 2025: 44% on-time (9 flights)44September 2025: 67% on-time (15 flights)67Sep 2025October 2025: 75% on-time (62 flights)75November 2025: 61% on-time (30 flights)61December 2025: 53% on-time (21 flights)53Dec 2025February 2026: 60% on-time (17 flights)60March 2026: 72% on-time (31 flights)72April 2026: 83% on-time (30 flights)83Apr 2026May 2026: 71% on-time (29 flights)71

Best time to fly from PHL to BUF

Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (48%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, PHL to BUF8 a.m.: 89% on-time (63 flights)810 a.m.: 75% on-time (96 flights)102 p.m.: 80% on-time (30 flights)145 p.m.: 70% on-time (23 flights)176 p.m.: 48% on-time (53 flights)187 p.m.: 62% on-time (55 flights)199 p.m.: 68% on-time (280 flights)21scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday69%23 min
Tuesdaybest78%27 min
Wednesday75%28 min
Thursday73%24 min
Friday64%32 min
Saturday62%25 min
Sunday66%27 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft53%
  • Airline operations25%
  • National airspace system13%
  • Weather10%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from PHL to BUF delayed?
31% of PHL–BUF 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 27 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from PHL to BUF?
Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 74%, based on 119 flights. 3 airlines flew PHL–BUF frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from PHL to BUF?
Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (48%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from PHL to BUF?
The scheduled PHL–BUF flight time averages 1h 24m over 279 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 31% of the time.
How often are PHL to BUF flights cancelled?
5.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05 — several times the typical US rate, so consider earlier departures or backup options.
What is the worst month to fly from PHL to BUF?
June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 38% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 53-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 639 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.