PHL to DSM flight delays & on-time performance
Nonstop flights from Philadelphia International Airport to Des Moines International Airport · 973 miles · Aug 2025 – Jul 2026
No FAA-reported ground stops or delays at PHL or DSM 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 Des Moines (DSM) arrived on time 75% of the time in Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, worse than the 78% national average.
- 3.7% were cancelled, and 12% arrived an hour or more late.
- Republic Airways was the most punctual airline here (77% on time); Allegiant Air was the least (42%).
- Departures scheduled around 10am did best (87% on time); around 8pm did worst (41%).
- Tuesday was the most reliable day to fly (84% on time) and Thursday the least (65%).
- The largest source of delay minutes was late-arriving aircraft (44%).
Which airline is most on time from PHL to DSM?
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. | 77% | 3.9% | 24 min | 12.2% | 77 |
| PSA AirlinesRegional airline operating American Eagle flights. | 77% | 3.2% | 18 min | 10.7% | 251 |
| Allegiant Air | 42% | 9.5% | 60 min | 31.6% | 21 |
Best time of day to fly
On-time arrival rate by scheduled departure hour (local time).
- 10am87%124 flights
- 11am84%39 flights
- 7pm72%137 flights
- 8pm41%40 flights
Best day of the week
On-time arrival rate by day of departure.
- Monday80%2.2% cancelled
- Tuesday84%4.4% cancelled
- Wednesday82%0.0% cancelled
- Thursday65%3.4% cancelled
- Friday71%2.0% cancelled
- Saturday76%6.3% cancelled
- Sunday71%7.1% 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 aircraft44%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, cleaning, fueling)23%
- Air traffic control & airport congestion21%
- Extreme weather12%
- Security0%
Why flights are cancelled
Share of cancellations by reason.
- Extreme weather77%
- Air traffic control & airport congestion15%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, cleaning, fueling)8%
- Security0%
PHL to DSM: common questions
- How often are PHL to DSM flights on time?
- 75% 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 Des Moines cancelled?
- 3.7% of scheduled flights were cancelled (13 of 349).
- How long are typical delays?
- Across all flights the average arrival delay was 22 min (early arrivals count as zero). Flights that were late arrived 83 min behind schedule on average, and 12.2% of flights were an hour or more late.
- How long is taxi time at PHL?
- Flights on this route spent 29 min taxiing from the gate to takeoff on average.
Related routes
Return trip: DSM to PHL — 79% 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 → DSM, nonstop flights by US airlines that report to the DOT. How we calculate this.