PlainFlights

Route · SAN → PHL · 2020–2025 BTS data

San Diego to Philadelphia

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SAN to PHL (San Diego to Philadelphia) ranks #2804 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

88.4%
On-time
+9.4 pts
vs US avg
128 min
Delay when late
4,246
Flights
#2804 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.2%

Best Month

May 2024 95%

Worst Month

Dec 2024 80%

Distance

2,370 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 91 5 1 4 AA
Nov 2025 87 9 1 5 AA
Oct 2025 90 8 0 0 AA
Sep 2025 90 12 0 0 AA
Aug 2025 92 6 0 0 AA
Jul 2025 93 15 2 1 AA
Jun 2025 90 17 2 1 AA
May 2025 93 10 3 1 AA
Apr 2025 90 14 0 0 AA
Mar 2025 86 15 1 1 AA
Feb 2025 66 9 2 2 AA
Jan 2025 68 11 0 1 AA
Dec 2024 90 18 0 0 AA
Nov 2024 81 9 0 0 AA
Oct 2024 66 12 0 0 AA
Sep 2024 89 10 0 1 AA
Aug 2024 93 12 2 0 AA
Jul 2024 93 16 2 1 AA
Jun 2024 86 9 5 1 AA
May 2024 61 3 0 0 AA
Apr 2024 61 7 0 1 AA
Mar 2024 62 12 0 1 AA
Feb 2024 70 6 1 0 AA
Jan 2024 85 5 2 0 AA

SAN–PHL seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (91.5%) · weakest: July (83.0%)

82%84%86%88%90%92% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 90.9%

Strongest calendar month

February

91.5% on-time · ~62 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

September

~81 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

83.0% on-time · ~79 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.2%

24 of 1,973 flights

Diversion Rate

1.1%

21 of 1,973 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SAN's stronger departures

SAN → PHL posts a 88.4% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 13 of 51 BTS-tracked routes leaving San Diego. The same hub also shows 34 mid-band and 4 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #355 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SAN to PHL

San Diego to Philadelphia (SAN to PHL) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 88.4% on-time rate across 4,246 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 127.6 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 2,370 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 24 of 1,973 flights were cancelled (1.2%) and 21 diverted (1.1%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: May 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Dec 2024 came in at just 80% - a 15-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SAN–PHL peaks in February at 91.5% on-time while September carries the heaviest traffic (~81 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 83.0%, a 8.5-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SAN to PHL rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SAN to PHL ranks #2804 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 SAN to PHL?
Flights from San Diego to Philadelphia have a 88.4% on-time rate based on 4,246 flights. The average delay is 127.6 minutes. The best recent month was May 2024 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SAN to PHL?
Over the last 24 months, 1.2% of flights on this route were cancelled (24 of 1,973 flights) and 1.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SAN to PHL?
The flight distance from San Diego (SAN) to Philadelphia (PHL) is approximately 2,370 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from SAN to PHL?
The best recent month for on-time performance was May 2024 (95% on-time). The worst was Dec 2024 (80% 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 SAN–PHL data

SAN–PHL runs 9.4 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare SAN and PHL airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SAN airport
  • If your dates flex, February (91.5% on-time) beats July (83.0%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 88.4% 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.

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.