Philadelphia (PHL) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through May 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 78% 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
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.5%
- Flights/day
- 4.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 45m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,325 mi
Best airline from PHL to IAH
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 86% | 11 min | 1.4% | 1,825 |
| PSA Airlines | 73% | 17 min | 1.6% | 190 |
| American Airlines | 71% | 24 min | 3.8% | 1,299 |
| Spirit Airlines | 68% | 30 min | 4.5% | 359 |
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 (60%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 21 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 84% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 15 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 17 min |
| Friday | 76% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 20 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 operations31%
- 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 2024-06 and 2026-05. 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 1,825 flights. 4 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 (60%). 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?
- 2.5% 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 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 3,740 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.