Is 45 minutes enough at PHL? 22% of inbound flights landed too late for it, allowing 30 minutes to reach the next gate. Book 90 minutes to keep the risk under 1 in 10, or 150 in July.
Separately, 3.2% of flights into PHL were cancelled or diverted (5.2% in July). That isn't a missed connection in the same sense: on one booking the airline rebooks you, though it can still cost you the day.
Check your exact itinerary through PHL →
Missed-connection risk by layover and month
Share of flights that landed at PHL too late for the connection (cancellations not included), pooled over 2023–2026. Read across your travel month.
| Layover | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 min | 27% | 24% | 26% | 23% | 28% | 30% | 36% | 32% | 24% | 21% | 20% | 28% | 26% |
| 50 min | 20% | 17% | 19% | 16% | 20% | 23% | 29% | 25% | 16% | 14% | 13% | 20% | 20% |
| 60 min | 16% | 13% | 14% | 12% | 16% | 18% | 23% | 20% | 12% | 10% | 10% | 15% | 16% |
| 75 min | 12% | 9% | 11% | 9% | 11% | 14% | 18% | 16% | 9% | 7% | 7% | 11% | 12% |
| 90 min | 9% | 7% | 8% | 7% | 9% | 11% | 15% | 13% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 9% | 10% |
| 120 min | 6% | 5% | 6% | 4% | 6% | 7% | 10% | 8% | 4% | 4% | 3% | 6% | 6% |
Counts flights that landed; cancelled and diverted inbound flights are reported separately above. Assumes 30 minutes to get off the plane and reach the next gate, and that the onward flight leaves on time. A terminal change or re-checking bags needs more.
Late in the day is riskier
Share of flights that would miss a 60-minute connection, by scheduled arrival time at PHL (past 12 months). Delays pile up through the day.
Riskiest flights in
| From | Flights | Miss 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| ORD Chicago | 5,082 | 21% |
| RSW Fort Myers | 1,343 | 21% |
| FLL Fort Lauderdale | 3,589 | 21% |
| MCO Orlando | 5,333 | 20% |
| DFW Dallas | 3,477 | 19% |
| TPA Tampa | 2,659 | 18% |
| DEN Denver | 3,056 | 18% |
| RDU Raleigh | 2,705 | 18% |
| SJU San Juan | 1,992 | 18% |
| BNA Nashville | 2,888 | 17% |
| ATL Atlanta | 5,793 | 17% |
| BOS Boston | 5,036 | 17% |
Safest flights in
| From | Flights | Miss 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| SFO San Francisco | 2,082 | 9% |
| PHX Phoenix | 2,308 | 10% |
| SEA Seattle | 1,431 | 10% |
| GSP Greer | 1,095 | 11% |
| LAX Los Angeles | 2,372 | 12% |
| PWM Portland | 1,322 | 12% |
| MDT Harrisburg | 1,650 | 12% |
| ROC Rochester | 1,303 | 12% |
| LAS Las Vegas | 1,478 | 13% |
| CMH Columbus | 1,664 | 13% |
| BDL Hartford | 1,418 | 13% |
| MHT Manchester | 1,230 | 13% |
Last flights of the day from PHL
If your inbound runs late and you miss one of these, the next flight is usually the next morning. Typical last scheduled departure over the past three months:
| To | Last departure | Flights / day |
|---|---|---|
| JAX Jacksonville | 6:23 p.m. | 4.8 |
| FLL Fort Lauderdale | 7:20 p.m. | 10 |
| CLT Charlotte | 7:35 p.m. | 9.3 |
| CVG Cincinnati | 7:36 p.m. | 4.4 |
| ORF Norfolk | 7:50 p.m. | 5.5 |
| TPA Tampa | 7:55 p.m. | 6.7 |
| MSP Minneapolis | 7:55 p.m. | 6.2 |
| IAH Houston | 7:58 p.m. | 5.8 |
| DFW Dallas | 8:12 p.m. | 10.1 |
| RIC Richmond | 8:33 p.m. | 4.9 |
| DEN Denver | 8:37 p.m. | 10.6 |
| MCO Orlando | 9:16 p.m. | 13.6 |
| BNA Nashville | 9:25 p.m. | 8 |
| MIA Miami | 9:50 p.m. | 9.4 |
| PHX Phoenix | 9:50 p.m. | 6.3 |
| SFO San Francisco | 9:50 p.m. | 7.2 |
| ALB Albany | 9:50 p.m. | 4.9 |
| CMH Columbus | 9:55 p.m. | 5.3 |
| MDT Harrisburg | 9:55 p.m. | 4.6 |
| ATL Atlanta | 9:56 p.m. | 17.4 |
| LAX Los Angeles | 9:59 p.m. | 7.5 |
| RDU Raleigh | 10:00 p.m. | 8 |
| IND Indianapolis | 10:00 p.m. | 5.2 |
| CLE Cleveland | 10:00 p.m. | 4.5 |
| DTW Detroit | 10:01 p.m. | 8.9 |
| STL St. Louis | 10:01 p.m. | 4.6 |
| BOS Boston | 10:15 p.m. | 14 |
| PIT Pittsburgh | 10:20 p.m. | 4.6 |
| SJU San Juan | 10:59 p.m. | 5.8 |
| ORD Chicago | 11:03 p.m. | 15.4 |
Questions
Is 45 minutes enough for a connection at PHL?
Often, not always. Over the past year 22% of flights into Philadelphia landed too late to leave 30 minutes to reach the next gate on a 45-minute layover. With 60 minutes it was 16%; with 90, 10%. Separately, 3.2% of inbound flights were cancelled or diverted; on one booking the airline rebooks you.
How long a layover do I need at PHL?
To keep the risk of a late inbound below 1 in 10, about 90 minutes on an average month and 150 minutes in July, the worst month. Add time if you change terminals or need to re-check bags.
An estimate from past arrival delays, not a guarantee. On one ticket, the airline will rebook you if you misconnect. On separate tickets you're on your own, so leave far more time. Method.