Best Time to Fly RDU to PHL: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Raleigh-Durham International → Philadelphia International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,604 flights were scheduled from Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Philadelphia (PHL) in the last 12 months, and 74.0% of those that flew arrived on time, 3.6 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Republic Airways was the most punctual of the 4 airlines on the route at 84.4%, while PSA Airlines trailed at 69.6%.
April has been the best month (78% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (70%).
3.4% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
RDU to PHL on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airways | 84.4% | 69 min | 3.6% | 220 |
| American Airlines | 75.4% | 105 min | 2.0% | 1,078 |
| Frontier Airlines | 73.0% | 88 min | 4.0% | 600 |
| PSA Airlines | 69.6% | 88 min | 4.8% | 706 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly RDU to PHL
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 5,126 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 6am–7am | 90.6% | 3.5% | 486 |
| 7am–8am | 87.7% | 1.9% | 257 |
| 8am–9am | 77.4% | 2.2% | 543 |
| 9am–10am | 79.1% | 2.6% | 113 |
| 10am–11am | 90.0% | 2.1% | 193 |
| 11am–12pm | 78.0% | 1.2% | 563 |
| 12pm–1pm | 78.3% | 2.5% | 285 |
| 1pm–2pm | 74.1% | 1.9% | 413 |
| 2pm–3pm | 70.1% | 1.1% | 88 |
| 3pm–4pm | 67.6% | 2.8% | 249 |
| 4pm–5pm | 54.7% | 2.6% | 617 |
| 5pm–6pm | 64.9% | 4.0% | 350 |
| 6pm–7pm | 58.6% | 3.7% | 379 |
| 7pm–8pm | 63.3% | 6.5% | 294 |
| 8pm–9pm | 71.3% | 4.2% | 120 |
| 9pm–10pm | 75.2% | 5.6% | 107 |
| 10pm–11pm | 68.8% | 9.0% | 67 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 1 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on RDU to PHL
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 78.9% | +4.1 pts | 0.0% | 90 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 73.3% | -1.4 pts | 1.6% | 183 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 64.0% | -10.8 pts | 6.0% | 938 |
| All other days | 74.8% | — | 2.4% | 3,915 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).