PlainFlights

Route · DCA → PHL · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Philadelphia

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to PHL (Washington to Philadelphia) ranks #2016 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.2%
On-time
+3.2 pts
vs US avg
80 min
Delay when late
6,239
Flights
#2016 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.8%

Best Month

Mar 2024 94%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 49%

Distance

119 mi

Carriers

11

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 61 31 1 0 YX,OH
Nov 2025 60 21 0 0 OH,YX
Oct 2025 93 27 0 0 OH,YX
Sep 2025 88 14 1 0 OH,YX
Aug 2025 66 16 0 0 YX,OH
Jul 2025 89 26 11 0 OH,YX
Jun 2025 104 36 9 0 AA,OH,YX
May 2025 93 34 4 0 AA,OH,YX
Apr 2025 90 35 1 0 OH,YX
Mar 2025 93 28 1 0 OH,YX
Feb 2025 94 37 9 0 OH,YX
Jan 2025 118 20 10 0 OH,YX
Dec 2024 114 33 0 0 OH,YX
Nov 2024 109 17 0 0 YX,OH,AA
Oct 2024 126 11 0 0 YX,AA,OH
Sep 2024 144 10 1 1 YX,OH,AA
Aug 2024 132 34 7 0 OH,YX
Jul 2024 123 26 6 0 OH,YX
Jun 2024 119 19 3 0 OH,YX
May 2024 118 32 2 0 AA,OH,YX
Apr 2024 107 18 0 0 AA,OH,YX
Mar 2024 108 7 0 0 OH,YX
Feb 2024 108 10 0 0 OH,YX
Jan 2024 113 20 4 0 YX,OH

DCA–PHL seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (88.8%) · weakest: December (76.1%)

75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 76.1%

Strongest calendar month

October

88.8% on-time · ~97 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

January

~102 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

76.1% on-time · ~91 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.8%

70 of 2,470 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

1 of 2,470 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

DCA - Washington

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Washington, DC.

DCA on-time profile

PHL - Philadelphia

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Philadelphia, PA.

PHL on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See DCA and PHL side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare DCA vs PHL

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among DCA departures

From DCA, this corridor sits with 77 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 91 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (4 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 10 below 75%). Destination: Philadelphia · fleet on-time rank #2260 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DCA to PHL

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Philadelphia (DCA to PHL) running a 82.2% on-time rate over 6,239 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 79.6 minutes. The 119-mile corridor is served by 11 carriers, and over the last 24 months 2.8% of 2,470 flights were cancelled, 0.0% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Mar 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 49% - a 44-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–PHL peaks in October at 88.8% on-time while January carries the heaviest traffic (~102 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 76.1%, a 12.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to PHL rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to PHL ranks #2016 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from DCA to PHL? ▼
Flights from Washington to Philadelphia have a 82.2% on-time rate based on 6,239 flights. The average delay is 79.6 minutes. The best recent month was Mar 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to PHL? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 2.8% of flights on this route were cancelled (70 of 2,470 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to PHL? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Philadelphia (PHL) is approximately 119 miles. This route is served by 11 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to PHL? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Mar 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (49% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
PHL Airport

Philadelphia
Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using DCA–PHL data

DCA–PHL runs 3.2 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare DCA and PHL airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, October (88.8% on-time) beats December (76.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.2% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.