Philadelphia (PHL) to St. Louis (STL): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on PHL–STL. February 2026 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 62% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.9%
- Flights/day
- 4.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 33m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 814 mi
Best airline from PHL to STL
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 84% | 11 min | 1.2% | 250 |
| Southwest Airlines | 80% | 16 min | 0.6% | 1,520 |
| PSA Airlines | 76% | 23 min | 5.8% | 365 |
| American Airlines | 74% | 22 min | 2.1% | 1,243 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PHL to STL
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (59%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 25 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 15 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 20 min |
| Friday | 77% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 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 aircraft45%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PHL to STL delayed?
- 23% of PHL–STL 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 STL?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 250 flights. 4 airlines flew PHL–STL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PHL to STL?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 6 p.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 STL?
- The scheduled PHL–STL flight time averages 2h 33m over 814 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are PHL to STL flights cancelled?
- 1.9% 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 STL?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2026 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,400 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.