Route · DCA → PHX · 2020–2025 BTS data
Washington to Phoenix
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to PHX (Washington to Phoenix) ranks #2227 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 87.2%
- On-time
- +8.2 pts
- vs US avg
- 92 min
- Delay when late
- 5,637
- Flights
- #2227 of 4927
- Corpus placement
Cancelled
0.9%
Best Month
Feb 2024 95%
Worst Month
Jul 2025 75%
Distance
1,979 mi
Carriers
1
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 90 | 14 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Nov 2025 | 86 | 21 | 1 | 1 | AA |
| Oct 2025 | 93 | 11 | 2 | 0 | AA |
| Sep 2025 | 90 | 17 | 1 | 1 | AA |
| Aug 2025 | 93 | 14 | 1 | 1 | AA |
| Jul 2025 | 93 | 23 | 3 | 0 | AA |
| Jun 2025 | 90 | 15 | 0 | 1 | AA |
| May 2025 | 93 | 12 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Apr 2025 | 90 | 19 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Mar 2025 | 93 | 8 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Feb 2025 | 84 | 11 | 2 | 1 | AA |
| Jan 2025 | 89 | 12 | 4 | 0 | AA |
| Dec 2024 | 89 | 5 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Nov 2024 | 90 | 7 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Oct 2024 | 93 | 7 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Sep 2024 | 90 | 8 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Aug 2024 | 93 | 15 | 3 | 1 | AA |
| Jul 2024 | 93 | 17 | 1 | 2 | AA |
| Jun 2024 | 90 | 12 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| May 2024 | 93 | 23 | 0 | 1 | AA |
| Apr 2024 | 90 | 9 | 1 | 1 | AA |
| Mar 2024 | 93 | 7 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Feb 2024 | 87 | 4 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Jan 2024 | 93 | 16 | 1 | 0 | AA |
DCA–PHX seasonal on-time pattern
Best: September (90.4%) · weakest: July (83.2%)
Strongest calendar month
September
90.4% on-time · ~75 flights/mo
Busiest calendar month
November
~88 flights/mo avg
Weakest calendar month
July
83.2% on-time · ~81 flights/mo
Cancellation Rate
0.9%
20 of 2,178 flights
Diversion Rate
0.5%
10 of 2,178 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 profilePHX - Phoenix
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Phoenix, AZ.
PHX on-time profileCompare the two airports
See DCA and PHX side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Compare DCA vs PHXOrigin-hub reliability standing
Among DCA's stronger departures
DCA → PHX posts a 87.2% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 4 of 91 BTS-tracked routes leaving Washington. The same hub also shows 77 mid-band and 10 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #584 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).
Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to DCA–PHX.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About DCA to PHX
Washington to Phoenix (DCA to PHX) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 87.2% on-time rate across 5,637 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 91.7 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 1,979 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 20 of 2,178 flights were cancelled (0.9%) and 10 diverted (0.5%).
The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 75% - a 20-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
On the multi-year calendar, DCA–PHX peaks in September at 90.4% on-time while November carries the heaviest traffic (~88 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 83.2%, a 7.2-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does DCA to PHX rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
How often are flights delayed from DCA to PHX? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to PHX? ▼
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Airports on this route
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–PHX data
DCA–PHX runs 8.2 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 PHX airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
- If your dates flex, September (90.4% on-time) beats July (83.2%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
- 4 other routes post a similar 87.2% 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.
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.