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Route · PHL → SAN · 2020–2025 BTS data

Philadelphia to San Diego

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), PHL to SAN (Philadelphia to San Diego) ranks #2779 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

78.3%
On-time
-0.7 pts
vs US avg
72 min
Delay when late
4,281
Flights
#2779 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.2%

Best Month

Apr 2024 93%

Worst Month

Aug 2024 61%

Distance

2,370 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 91 19 1 1 AA
Nov 2025 87 21 1 0 AA
Oct 2025 90 19 0 2 AA
Sep 2025 90 14 0 3 AA
Aug 2025 92 18 0 0 AA
Jul 2025 93 32 2 0 AA
Jun 2025 90 30 2 0 AA
May 2025 93 29 3 0 AA
Apr 2025 89 28 0 0 AA
Mar 2025 86 20 1 2 AA
Feb 2025 67 22 2 0 AA
Jan 2025 68 19 0 1 AA
Dec 2024 90 23 0 4 AA
Nov 2024 81 13 0 0 AA
Oct 2024 66 11 0 0 AA
Sep 2024 89 23 0 0 AA
Aug 2024 93 36 2 0 AA
Jul 2024 93 30 2 1 AA
Jun 2024 86 27 5 0 AA
May 2024 61 22 0 0 AA
Apr 2024 60 4 0 0 AA
Mar 2024 62 6 0 1 AA
Feb 2024 70 11 0 0 AA
Jan 2024 85 21 2 0 AA

PHL–SAN seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (83.8%) · weakest: July (67.8%)

65%70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 80.1%

Strongest calendar month

October

83.8% on-time · ~80 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

September

~81 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

67.8% on-time · ~79 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.2%

23 of 1,972 flights

Diversion Rate

0.8%

15 of 1,972 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among PHL departures

From PHL, this corridor sits with 60 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 65 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (4 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 1 below 75%). Destination: San Diego · fleet on-time rank #3762 of 4927.

What the Data Says About PHL to SAN

The Philadelphia to San Diego corridor (PHL to SAN) posts a 78.3% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 4,281 tracked flights. Late flights run 71.8 minutes behind on average. 1 carrier cover the 2,370-mile route; over the last 24 months, 23 of 1,972 flights were cancelled (1.2%) and 0.8% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Apr 2024 posted the strongest performance at 93% on-time, while Aug 2024 came in at just 61% - a 32-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, PHL–SAN peaks in October at 83.8% on-time while September carries the heaviest traffic (~81 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 67.8%, a 16.0-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does PHL to SAN rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, PHL to SAN ranks #2779 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 PHL to SAN?
Flights from Philadelphia to San Diego have a 78.3% on-time rate based on 4,281 flights. The average delay is 71.8 minutes. The best recent month was Apr 2024 with 93% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for PHL to SAN?
Over the last 24 months, 1.2% of flights on this route were cancelled (23 of 1,972 flights) and 0.8% were diverted.
How far is the flight from PHL to SAN?
The flight distance from Philadelphia (PHL) to San Diego (SAN) is approximately 2,370 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from PHL to SAN?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Apr 2024 (93% on-time). The worst was Aug 2024 (61% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

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.

Using PHL–SAN data

PHL–SAN is mid-pack at 78.3% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare PHL and SAN airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. PHL airport
  • If your dates flex, October (83.8% on-time) beats July (67.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 78.3% 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.