Route · PHX → DCA · 2020–2025 BTS data
Phoenix to Washington
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), PHX to DCA (Phoenix to Washington) ranks #2225 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 87.4%
- On-time
- +8.4 pts
- vs US avg
- 66 min
- Delay when late
- 5,638
- Flights
- #2225 of 4927
- Corpus placement
Cancelled
1.0%
Best Month
Sep 2024 96%
Worst Month
Mar 2025 74%
Distance
1,979 mi
Carriers
1
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 90 | 12 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Nov 2025 | 85 | 17 | 1 | 1 | AA |
| Oct 2025 | 93 | 14 | 2 | 0 | AA |
| Sep 2025 | 90 | 18 | 1 | 0 | AA |
| Aug 2025 | 93 | 5 | 1 | 0 | AA |
| Jul 2025 | 93 | 16 | 3 | 4 | AA |
| Jun 2025 | 90 | 16 | 1 | 1 | AA |
| May 2025 | 93 | 11 | 0 | 2 | AA |
| Apr 2025 | 90 | 20 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Mar 2025 | 94 | 24 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Feb 2025 | 84 | 12 | 2 | 1 | AA |
| Jan 2025 | 90 | 5 | 4 | 1 | AA |
| Dec 2024 | 89 | 10 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Nov 2024 | 89 | 9 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Oct 2024 | 93 | 7 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Sep 2024 | 90 | 4 | 0 | 1 | AA |
| Aug 2024 | 93 | 10 | 3 | 0 | AA |
| Jul 2024 | 93 | 18 | 1 | 1 | AA |
| Jun 2024 | 90 | 16 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| May 2024 | 93 | 16 | 0 | 1 | AA |
| Apr 2024 | 90 | 7 | 1 | 0 | AA |
| Mar 2024 | 94 | 20 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Feb 2024 | 87 | 11 | 0 | 0 | AA |
| Jan 2024 | 93 | 10 | 1 | 1 | AA |
PHX–DCA seasonal on-time pattern
Best: January (91.8%) · weakest: July (83.0%)
Strongest calendar month
January
91.8% on-time · ~82 flights/mo
Busiest calendar month
November
~87 flights/mo avg
Weakest calendar month
July
83.0% on-time · ~81 flights/mo
Cancellation Rate
1.0%
21 of 2,179 flights
Diversion Rate
0.6%
14 of 2,179 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
PHX - Phoenix
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Phoenix, AZ.
PHX on-time profileDCA - Washington
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Washington, DC.
DCA on-time profileCompare the two airports
See PHX and DCA side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Compare PHX vs DCAOrigin-hub reliability standing
Among PHX's stronger departures
PHX → DCA posts a 87.4% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 25 of 97 BTS-tracked routes leaving Phoenix. The same hub also shows 71 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #545 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).
Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to PHX–DCA.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About PHX to DCA
Phoenix to Washington (PHX to DCA) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 87.4% on-time rate across 5,638 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 66.3 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 1,979 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 21 of 2,179 flights were cancelled (1.0%) and 14 diverted (0.6%).
The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2024 posted the strongest performance at 96% on-time, while Mar 2025 came in at just 74% - a 21-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
On the multi-year calendar, PHX–DCA peaks in January at 91.8% on-time while November carries the heaviest traffic (~87 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 83.0%, a 8.8-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does PHX to DCA rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
How often are flights delayed from PHX to DCA? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for PHX to DCA? ▼
How far is the flight from PHX to DCA? ▼
When is the best time to fly from PHX to DCA? ▼
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 PHX–DCA data
PHX–DCA runs 8.4 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.
- Compare PHX and DCA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. PHX airport
- If your dates flex, January (91.8% on-time) beats July (83.0%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
- 4 other routes post a similar 87.4% 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.