Phoenix (PHX) to Washington (IAD): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on PHX–IAD. January 2026 flights landed on schedule 98% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 69% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 85% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 85%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 9 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Flights/day
- 3.2
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 16m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,956 mi
Best airline from PHX to IAD
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 87% | 9 min | 0.7% | 1,670 |
| Southwest Airlines | 79% | 9 min | 0.1% | 727 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PHX to IAD
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 10 a.m. departures (78%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Mondaybest | 87% | 7 min |
| Tuesday | 85% | 8 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 87% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 84% | 9 min |
| Friday | 85% | 10 min |
| Saturday | 87% | 7 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 15 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft30%
- Airline operations49%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather1%
- Security2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PHX to IAD delayed?
- 15% of PHX–IAD 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 9 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PHX to IAD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 1,670 flights. 2 airlines flew PHX–IAD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PHX to IAD?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 10 a.m. have the worst (78%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PHX to IAD?
- The scheduled PHX–IAD flight time averages 4h 16m over 1,956 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 15% of the time.
- How often are PHX to IAD flights cancelled?
- 0.5% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from PHX to IAD?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 69% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2026 at 98%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,397 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.