Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Phoenix (PHX): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on RDU–PHX. September 2025 flights landed on schedule 100% of the time, but June 2026 dropped to 46% — a gap of 54 points. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 67%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 2.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 51m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,891 mi
Best airline from RDU to PHX
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 13 min | 0.9% | 912 |
| Southwest Airlines | 77% | 11 min | 0.6% | 616 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from RDU to PHX
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (38%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Mondaybest | 89% | 8 min |
| Tuesday | 82% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 10 min |
| Friday | 81% | 9 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 80% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft48%
- Airline operations36%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from RDU to PHX delayed?
- 19% of RDU–PHX 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 12 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from RDU to PHX?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 912 flights. 2 airlines flew RDU–PHX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from RDU to PHX?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (38%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from RDU to PHX?
- The scheduled RDU–PHX flight time averages 4h 51m over 1,891 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are RDU to PHX 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 RDU to PHX?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 46% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 100%. If your dates are flexible, that 54-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,528 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.