FlightRecord

Philadelphia (PHL) to Richmond (RIC): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Philadelphia (PHL) to Richmond (RIC) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 200 departures over the past year, roughly 4 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 68% arrived on time, noticeably below the national average of 78%. Cancellations are the bigger caveat: 3.4% of scheduled flights never departed.

On-time
68%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
22 min
completed flights
Cancelled
3.4%
Flights/day
0.55
last 12 months
Duration
1h 10m
scheduled
Distance
198 mi

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for PHL to RIC flights50%75%100%June 2024: 71% on-time (24 flights)71Jun 2024December 2024: 42% on-time (12 flights)42April 2025: 85% on-time (27 flights)85May 2025: 62% on-time (58 flights)62May 2025June 2025: 47% on-time (33 flights)47July 2025: 66% on-time (31 flights)66August 2025: 60% on-time (5 flights)60Aug 2025October 2025: 77% on-time (60 flights)77November 2025: 100% on-time (1 flights)100December 2025: 46% on-time (11 flights)46Dec 2025January 2026: 40% on-time (5 flights)40February 2026: 81% on-time (17 flights)81March 2026: 77% on-time (31 flights)77Mar 2026April 2026: 100% on-time (6 flights)100

Best time to fly from PHL to RIC

Aim for departures around 10 a.m. (87% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (47%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, PHL to RIC10 a.m.: 87% on-time (73 flights)102 p.m.: 77% on-time (97 flights)143 p.m.: 52% on-time (91 flights)155 p.m.: 47% on-time (45 flights)17scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday61%31 min
Tuesdaybest81%10 min
Wednesday78%15 min
Thursday66%26 min
Friday63%21 min
Saturday67%20 min
Sunday59%31 min

What causes delays on this route

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

  • Late-arriving aircraft44%
  • Airline operations28%
  • National airspace system20%
  • Weather7%
  • Security1%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from PHL to RIC delayed?
32% of PHL–RIC 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 22 minutes.
What is the best time of day to fly from PHL to RIC?
Departures around 10 a.m. have the best record (87% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (47%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from PHL to RIC?
The scheduled PHL–RIC flight time averages 1h 10m over 198 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 32% of the time.
How often are PHL to RIC flights cancelled?
3.4% 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 day of the week is most reliable for PHL to RIC?
Tuesday flights have the best record at 81% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are meaningful — Sunday trails at 59%.

Based on 321 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.