Skip to content

All Products

Aviation Intelligence

Alerts & Airspace

Free Pilot Tools & Widgets

RC Aviation

Games & Learning

Weather Research & More

Pilot Resources

My Airports

Your shortcuts, saved on this device. Search to add an airport.

No airports saved yet. Add the fields you visit most.

Ask ATIS

Route on-time record

DCA to PHL: most on-time flights and the best time to fly

Washington (Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport) to Philadelphia (Philadelphia International Airport). 863 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 65% arrived within 15 minutes and 3.7% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was Republic 4407 at 1:39 PM.

Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.

Find me the most reliable flights fromtoonreturning(optional)

DCA → PHL

Washington to Philadelphia: 863 nonstop flights a year

On time (12 months)

65%

Cancelled

3.7%

avg delay 31 min

Best time to leave

Before 9 AM

95% on time vs 49% 3 to 6 PM

Most reliable airline

Republic

80% chance on time

Check DCA to PHL fares

Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $189 (American 5171 on 2026-11-10). Fares open on our travel partner (Aviasales). Pick the flight number you chose here.

Most reliable nonstop flights

Ranked by the chance the flight operates and arrives within 15 minutes of schedule, from Jun 2025 to May 2026 records.

  1. #1 · Republic 4407 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express

    1:39 PM → 2:51 PM1h 12m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-29.

    80%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    63%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    11 min
    • Arrived on time 63% of the time (8 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Departs inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
    • Lands inside PHL's trouble window: 72% of its 95 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
    • 64% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.

    Limited track record · 8 flights

    Find 1:39 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  2. #2 · PSA 5601 · sold as American Eagle

    1:45 PM → 3:00 PM1h 15m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-19.

    71%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    81%
    Cancelled
    2.3%
    Avg arrival delay
    16 min
    • Arrived on time 81% of the time (43 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Departs inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
    • Lands inside PHL's trouble window: 72% of its 95 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.

    Limited track record · 43 flights

    Find 1:45 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  3. #3 · PSA 5636 · sold as American Eagle

    5:22 PM → 6:36 PM1h 14m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.

    58%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    63%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    29 min
    • Arrived on time 63% of the time (38 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Never cancelled in 38 scheduled flights.
    • Leaves in this route's least on-time window (3 to 6 PM: 49% on time; Before 9 AM: 95%).
    • Departs inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.

    Limited track record · 38 flights

    Find 5:22 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  4. #4 · PSA 5406 · sold as American Eagle

    5:00 PM → 6:14 PM1h 14m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.

    53%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    50%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    74 min
    • Arrived on time 50% of the time (10 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Leaves in this route's least on-time window (3 to 6 PM: 49% on time; Before 9 AM: 95%).
    • Departs inside DCA's trouble window: 63% of its 194 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
    • Lands inside PHL's trouble window: 72% of its 95 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.

    Limited track record · 10 flights

    Find 5:00 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales

Airlines on this route

Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.

  • Republic Airways (sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express)80%

    224 flights · 87% on time as flown · 2.0% cancel

  • PSA Airlines (sold as American Eagle)56%

    635 flights · 58% on time as flown · 4.5% cancel

On time by departure time

All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.

  • Before 9 AM95%

    147 flights · avg delay 4 min

  • Noon to 3 PM69%

    275 flights · avg delay 25 min

  • 3 to 6 PM49%

    362 flights · avg delay 46 min

  • After 9 PM65%

    65 flights · avg delay 40 min

Best day: Saturday (82%). Worst: Friday (75%).

On time by month

All airlines, Jun 2023 to May 2026. Several years per month, so one stormy season doesn't define a month. Travel-month estimates use this seasonal pattern.

J
76
F
72
M
75
A
72
M
68
J
78
J
74
A
79
S
88
O
88
N
82
D
71

What delays this route

  • Late-arriving aircraft56%
  • Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)20%
  • Severe weather13%
  • Air traffic control and airport volume11%

Share of delay minutes by the cause airlines report to the US DOT.

Historical odds, not a guarantee. Built from the US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics on-time reports (Jun 2025 to May 2026), FAA ground stop and delay program advisories, and 20 years of airport weather observations. Covers US airlines that report to the DOT; schedules are flights operated recently, so confirm times when you book. ATIS Alerts is not affiliated with any airline. Fares are what Aviasales travelers saw in recent searches (USD, one way, 1 adult), not live quotes; the partner site shows the current price. Fare links go to our travel partner and may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Affiliate disclosure

Finding the most reliable connections from DCA to PHL…

DCA to PHL questions

What time of day is best to fly DCA to PHL?
Before 9 AM: 95% of flights arrived on time, against 49% for departures 3 to 6 PM. Later flights inherit delays from earlier ones, so the first departures of the day usually run best.
Which airline is most on time from DCA to PHL?
Republic, with a season-adjusted 80% chance of operating and arriving on time over 224 flights. The adjustment compares each airline with what the route did in the months it flew, so a carrier that skipped a stormy month gets no free credit.
What is the worst month for delays on DCA to PHL?
May (68% on time); the best was September (88%), averaged over Jun 2023 to May 2026.
Is this a prediction for my flight?
No. These are historical odds from the US DOT on-time reports, FAA advisories and airport weather records. Check your flight status and the FAA delay board on the day you fly.

More routes from DCA

Most on-time flights from DCA on every route →

Live status: FAA delays and ground stops