PHL to DCA flight delays & on-time performance
Nonstop flights from Philadelphia International Airport to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport · 120 miles · Aug 2025 – Jul 2026
No FAA-reported ground stops or delays at PHL or DCA right now. Individual flights can still be delayed by the airline; check with your airline for your flight.
Key facts
- Flights from Philadelphia (PHL) to Washington (DCA) arrived on time 58% of the time in Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, worse than the 78% national average.
- 4.3% were cancelled, and 17% arrived an hour or more late.
- Republic Airways was the most punctual airline here (69% on time); PSA Airlines was the least (55%).
- Departures scheduled around 9am did best (94% on time); around 2pm did worst (45%).
- Saturday was the most reliable day to fly (75% on time) and Thursday the least (45%).
- The largest source of delay minutes was late-arriving aircraft (36%).
Which airline is most on time from PHL to DCA?
Ranked by on-time arrival rate. Regional airlines fly under their partner's brand (e.g. SkyWest for Delta Connection or United Express).
| Airline | On time | Cancelled | Avg delay | 1 hr+ late | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic AirwaysRegional airline operating flights for American Eagle, Delta Connection and United Express. | 69% | 2.1% | 23 min | 7.1% | 188 |
| PSA AirlinesRegional airline operating American Eagle flights. | 55% | 5.0% | 39 min | 19.8% | 601 |
Best time of day to fly
On-time arrival rate by scheduled departure hour (local time).
- 8am63%24 flights
- 9am94%36 flights
- 10am91%35 flights
- 2pm45%44 flights
- 3pm48%257 flights
- 4pm85%26 flights
- 6pm68%149 flights
- 7pm47%169 flights
- 8pm50%42 flights
Best day of the week
On-time arrival rate by day of departure.
- Monday54%8.0% cancelled
- Tuesday63%3.6% cancelled
- Wednesday62%4.5% cancelled
- Thursday45%0.9% cancelled
- Friday55%3.4% cancelled
- Saturday75%5.4% cancelled
- Sunday54%4.4% cancelled
On-time trend by month
Why flights are late
Share of delay minutes by cause, as reported by airlines to the DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft36%
- Air traffic control & airport congestion32%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, cleaning, fueling)20%
- Extreme weather11%
- Security0%
Why flights are cancelled
Share of cancellations by reason.
- Extreme weather91%
- Air traffic control & airport congestion9%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, cleaning, fueling)0%
- Security0%
PHL to DCA: common questions
- How often are PHL to DCA flights on time?
- 58% of flights arrived less than 15 minutes late in Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, compared with 78% for all US flights.
- How often are flights from Philadelphia to Washington cancelled?
- 4.3% of scheduled flights were cancelled (34 of 789).
- How long are typical delays?
- Across all flights the average arrival delay was 35 min (early arrivals count as zero). Flights that were late arrived 81 min behind schedule on average, and 16.7% of flights were an hour or more late.
- How long is taxi time at PHL?
- Flights on this route spent 33 min taxiing from the gate to takeoff on average.
Related routes
Return trip: DCA to PHL — 64% on time
More flights from Philadelphia
Data: U.S. DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Aug 2025 – Jul 2026 (12 months). Latest month published by BTS: July 2026. Route: PHL → DCA, nonstop flights by US airlines that report to the DOT. How we calculate this.