Best Time to Fly DTW to PHL: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Detroit Metro Wayne County → Philadelphia International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 78.8% of Detroit (DTW) to Philadelphia (PHL) flights arrived on time (2,953 scheduled flights). That is 1.2 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Among 7 airlines, Republic Airways led with 95.1% on time and Frontier Airlines was last with 57.5%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (84% on time) and July the worst month (66%).
The cancellation rate was 3.2% (US average 1.8%).
DTW to PHL on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airways | 95.1% | 54 min | 1.6% | 62 |
| Delta Air Lines | 80.1% | 74 min | 2.4% | 1,578 |
| Spirit Airlines | 79.8% | 82 min | 0.0% | 109 |
| American Airlines | 79.6% | 146 min | 0.7% | 139 |
| PSA Airlines | 78.4% | 98 min | 5.7% | 921 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 61.5% | 93 min | 2.9% | 69 |
| Frontier Airlines | 57.5% | 104 min | 2.7% | 75 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DTW to PHL
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 6,014 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 89.9% | 2.2% | 222 |
| 6am–7am | 85.1% | 8.2% | 389 |
| 7am–8am | 87.8% | 2.0% | 847 |
| 8am–9am | 77.9% | 4.4% | 90 |
| 9am–10am | 87.3% | 1.6% | 64 |
| 10am–11am | 84.5% | 1.2% | 861 |
| 11am–12pm | 83.5% | 3.1% | 257 |
| 12pm–1pm | 79.7% | 0.9% | 114 |
| 1pm–2pm | 75.2% | 1.3% | 225 |
| 2pm–3pm | 77.4% | 0.7% | 553 |
| 3pm–4pm | 65.4% | 1.0% | 383 |
| 4pm–5pm | 62.7% | 3.1% | 326 |
| 5pm–6pm | 67.0% | 3.2% | 377 |
| 6pm–7pm | 68.8% | 4.8% | 371 |
| 7pm–8pm | 71.4% | 11.6% | 95 |
| 8pm–9pm | 80.6% | 0.0% | 67 |
| 9pm–10pm | 80.0% | 2.0% | 740 |
| 10pm–11pm | 59.4% | 3.0% | 33 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DTW to PHL
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 60.8% | -20.7 pts | 1.6% | 122 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 67.4% | -14.1 pts | 1.4% | 218 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 70.8% | -10.8 pts | 4.9% | 1,132 |
| All other days | 81.5% | — | 2.1% | 4,542 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).