70% of flights from Philadelphia to Orlando arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is worse than the typical U.S. route. The 7 a.m. departures ran on time 88% of the time; the 5 p.m. ones 53%. Most reliable airline: American Airlines (73%). 14% of flights arrived more than an hour late or not at all.
How late?
The on-time rate treats a flight 20 minutes late the same as one 5 hours late. Here's the split for PHL → MCO: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 47% of the time. About 1 in 9 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 40 three hours or more; 2.7% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early70%
- 15–30 min late8.0%
- 30–60 min late7.5%
- 1–2 hours late6.3%
- 2–3 hours late2.4%
- 3+ hours late2.5%
- Diverted0.4%
- Cancelled2.7%
Share of all 5,338 scheduled flights, past 12 months, by arrival time against schedule.
By airline
| Airline | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | 1h+ late | Avg when late | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 2,626 | 73% | 2.3% | −7 min | 10.4% | +77 min | American Airlines |
| Frontier Airlines | 1,622 | 66% | 2.6% | −4 min | 15.0% | +107 min | Frontier Airlines |
| Southwest Airlines | 653 | 69% | 1.5% | −1 min | 8.4% | +59 min | Southwest Airlines |
| Spirit Airlines | 437 | 72% | 6.9% | −7 min | 6.6% | +65 min | Spirit Airlines |
Airline = the name on the ticket. Regional flights (e.g. "Delta Connection") count under the ticketing airline, and the operator is listed.
Best time of day to fly
On-time rate by scheduled departure hour (local time at PHL). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | American Airlines | Frontier Airlines | Southwest Airlines | Spirit Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 a.m. | — | 79% | — | 80% |
| 6 a.m. | — | — | 88% | — |
| 7 a.m. | 89% | — | — | — |
| 8 a.m. | 80% | 73% | — | — |
| 10 a.m. | 80% | — | — | — |
| 11 a.m. | 74% | — | — | — |
| noon | 70% | 63% | — | — |
| 2 p.m. | 68% | — | — | — |
| 3 p.m. | 63% | — | — | — |
| 4 p.m. | 58% | — | — | — |
| 5 p.m. | 61% | 51% | 53% | — |
| 6 p.m. | 58% | 61% | — | — |
| 7 p.m. | 68% | — | — | — |
| 10 p.m. | — | 60% | — | — |
Last flight of the day
On PHL → MCO, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 3.8% of the time, against 2.4% for its earlier flights (1.6× as often). It arrived 3+ hours late 2.2% of the time (earlier flights: 2.8%). It matters more than the numbers suggest. Miss an earlier flight and there's another one that evening; miss the last one and you're usually waiting until morning.
| Airline | Last departure | Last: cancelled | Last: 3h+ late | Earlier: cancelled | Next morning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 7:50 p.m. | 3.6% | 0.3% | 2.1% | first flight 7:00 a.m. |
| Frontier Airlines | 9:16 p.m. | 3.3% | 3.8% | 2.4% | first flight 5:26 a.m. |
| Spirit Airlines | — | 6.7% | 2.2% | 7.6% | — |
| Southwest Airlines | 1:52 p.m. | 2.7% | 2.7% | 0.7% | first flight 12:45 p.m. |
Last flight = the airline's last scheduled departure on this route that day, on days it flies the route at least twice; past 12 months. Times are typical scheduled times over the latest three months.
If you need to be in MCO tonight, book an earlier flight so there's a backup if it's cancelled.
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: November (80%). Worst: July (57%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 818 | 68% | 5.1% |
| Tuesday | 670 | 80% | 2.1% |
| Wednesday | 655 | 82% | 1.1% |
| Thursday | 783 | 70% | 2.0% |
| Friday | 801 | 68% | 1.5% |
| Saturday | 789 | 68% | 1.1% |
| Sunday | 822 | 60% | 5.2% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: weather 96 · airline 32 · air traffic/airport 15
Month by month
Flight numbers on this route
Regular flights with at least 120 scheduled trips in the past year. Sorted by departure time.
| Flight | Departs | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| F9 2415 | 5:05 a.m. | 228 | 77% | 1.3% | −8 min | Frontier Airlines |
| F9 1807 | 8:00 a.m. | 302 | 75% | 2.0% | −9 min | Frontier Airlines |
| AA 2084 | 8:15 a.m. | 195 | 78% | 2.6% | −5 min | American Airlines |
| F9 2507 | 10:11 a.m. | 168 | 68% | 5.4% | −10 min | Frontier Airlines |
| F9 4173 | 12:46 p.m. | 273 | 60% | 1.5% | +4 min | Frontier Airlines |
| AA 2502 | 1:52 p.m. | 141 | 76% | 0.7% | −5 min | American Airlines |
| AA 2531 | 4:19 p.m. | 155 | 60% | 0.7% | +4 min | American Airlines |
| F9 2505 | 5:04 p.m. | 306 | 59% | 1.6% | +1 min | Frontier Airlines |
| AA 1673 | 5:56 p.m. | 149 | 62% | 2.7% | +1 min | American Airlines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 18, 2026 | 16 | 0% | 0 |
| Jan 26, 2026 | 15 | 0% | 8 |
| Jan 25, 2026 | 15 | 7% | 14 |
| Nov 10, 2025 | 15 | 7% | 1 |
| Nov 8, 2025 | 14 | 7% | 3 |
Nearby airport alternatives
Other ways to make the same trip, using airports within 60 miles of Philadelphia or Orlando. TTN → MCO has been 9 points more reliable.
| Route | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHL → MCO (this route) | 5,338 | 70% | 2.7% |
| TTN → MCO Trenton Mercer to Orlando | 542 | 80% | 3.5% |
| ACY → MCO Atlantic City to Orlando | 427 | 78% | 5.9% |
| ABE → SFB Lehigh Valley to Orlando Sanford | 643 | 77% | 0.5% |
Questions
How often are flights from PHL to MCO on time?
70% of 5,338 scheduled flights from Philadelphia, PA to Orlando, FL arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 2.7% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly PHL to MCO?
Flights scheduled to leave at 7 a.m. were the most reliable (88% on time). The 5 p.m. departures were the least (53%).
Which airline is most on time from PHL to MCO?
American Airlines: 73% of its 2,626 flights on the route arrived on time. Frontier Airlines: 66%. Southwest Airlines: 69%. Spirit Airlines: 72%.
What month has the most delays from PHL to MCO?
July (57% on time). The best month is November (80%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from PHL to MCO more likely to be cancelled?
Yes. Each airline's last PHL–MCO flight of the day was cancelled 3.8% of the time over the past year, against 2.4% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- MCO → PHL (return)
- Philadelphia (PHL) delays by hour
- Flights into Orlando (MCO)
- American Airlines on-time record
- Frontier Airlines on-time record
- Southwest Airlines on-time record
- Spirit Airlines on-time record
- Connecting off this flight? Check the risk
Domestic flights by the airlines that report to the U.S. DOT, plus their regional partners. "On time" means arriving less than 15 minutes after schedule; cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time. Past performance is a guide, not a forecast. Method.