Best Time to Fly PHL to SAN: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Philadelphia International → San Diego International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 79.5% of Philadelphia (PHL) to San Diego (SAN) flights arrived on time (1,046 scheduled flights). That is 1.8 points above the national average of 77.6%.
American Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
Over 24 months, Wednesday was the most reliable day (78% on time) and July the worst month (68%).
The cancellation rate was 1.4% (US average 1.8%).
PHL to SAN 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 79.5% | 70 min | 1.4% | 1,046 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly PHL to SAN
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 2,051 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8am–9am | 88.2% | 0.9% | 647 |
| 9am–10am | 72.0% | 0.0% | 75 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 3 | |
| 3pm–4pm | 67.3% | 0.5% | 206 |
| 4pm–5pm | 75.7% | 1.4% | 345 |
| 5pm–6pm | 60.7% | 3.4% | 59 |
| 6pm–7pm | 66.5% | 1.5% | 457 |
| 7pm–8pm | 68.0% | 2.4% | 250 |
| 8pm–9pm | Limited data | 9 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on PHL to SAN
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) | 58.3% | -19.7 pts | 0.0% | 36 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 61.7% | -16.3 pts | 1.2% | 85 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 68.5% | -9.5 pts | 2.4% | 372 |
| All other days | 78.0% | — | 1.1% | 1,558 |
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).