Best Time to Fly SFO to PHL: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Francisco International → Philadelphia International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,044 flights were scheduled from San Francisco (SFO) to Philadelphia (PHL) in the last 12 months, and 85.2% of those that flew arrived on time, 7.6 points above the US average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 86.0%, while American Airlines trailed at 84.8%.
April has been the best month (92% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (83%).
1.4% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SFO 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 86.0% | 48 min | 0.6% | 726 |
| American Airlines | 84.8% | 104 min | 1.8% | 1,318 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SFO to PHL
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,697 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12am–1am | 79.5% | 3.5% | 86 |
| 1am–2am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 5am–6am | 100.0% | 0.0% | 44 |
| 6am–7am | 90.6% | 1.4% | 490 |
| 7am–8am | 91.0% | 0.0% | 222 |
| 8am–9am | 86.9% | 0.0% | 551 |
| 9am–10am | 72.5% | 1.0% | 403 |
| 10am–11am | 75.5% | 0.0% | 53 |
| 11am–12pm | 80.0% | 0.7% | 302 |
| 12pm–1pm | 77.3% | 1.5% | 134 |
| 1pm–2pm | 88.7% | 2.8% | 109 |
| 4pm–5pm | 70.0% | 0.0% | 50 |
| 8pm–9pm | 88.6% | 0.0% | 35 |
| 9pm–10pm | 85.0% | 1.3% | 384 |
| 10pm–11pm | 90.7% | 2.4% | 331 |
| 11pm–12am | 85.1% | 2.2% | 502 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SFO 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) | 93.7% | +7.2 pts | 0.0% | 63 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 86.1% | -0.3 pts | 1.1% | 175 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 77.5% | -9.0 pts | 2.0% | 766 |
| All other days | 86.5% | — | 1.0% | 2,693 |
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).