Phoenix (PHX) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly PHX to DEN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 88% on-time in December 2024 to just 62% in May 2025. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 72%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 25
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 51m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 602 mi
Best airline from PHX to DEN
6 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 84% | 13 min | 0.6% | 5,023 |
| Frontier Airlines | 80% | 17 min | 0.8% | 3,152 |
| American Airlines | 76% | 18 min | 0.7% | 1,949 |
| Southwest Airlines | 75% | 15 min | 1.0% | 8,437 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 74% | 19 min | 0.0% | 65 |
| Envoy Air | 72% | 16 min | 0.5% | 424 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PHX to DEN
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (63%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 15 min |
| Tuesday | 79% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 16 min |
| Friday | 77% | 17 min |
| Saturdaybest | 82% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft43%
- Airline operations27%
- National airspace system28%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PHX to DEN delayed?
- 22% of PHX–DEN 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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PHX to DEN?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 5,023 flights. 6 airlines flew PHX–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PHX to DEN?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (63%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PHX to DEN?
- The scheduled PHX–DEN flight time averages 1h 51m over 602 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are PHX to DEN flights cancelled?
- 0.8% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from PHX to DEN?
- May 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was December 2024 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 19,050 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.