Philadelphia (PHL) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly PHL to IAH matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 92% on-time in February 2026 to just 61% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.6%
- Flights/day
- 5.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 45m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,325 mi
Best airline from PHL to IAH
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 86% | 12 min | 1.3% | 1,888 |
| PSA Airlines | 72% | 18 min | 1.5% | 197 |
| American Airlines | 72% | 23 min | 3.9% | 1,399 |
| Frontier Airlines | 68% | 21 min | 1.4% | 72 |
| Spirit Airlines | 67% | 32 min | 5.0% | 299 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PHL to IAH
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 11 a.m. departures (59%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 23 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 17 min |
| Wednesday | 82% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 17 min |
| Friday | 76% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 19 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 operations29%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PHL to IAH delayed?
- 22% of PHL–IAH 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 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PHL to IAH?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 1,888 flights. 5 airlines flew PHL–IAH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PHL to IAH?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 11 a.m. have the worst (59%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PHL to IAH?
- The scheduled PHL–IAH flight time averages 3h 45m over 1,325 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are PHL to IAH 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 PHL to IAH?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2026 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,880 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.