77% of flights from Nashville to Phoenix arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is about the typical U.S. route. The 5 a.m. departures ran on time 97% of the time; the 7 p.m. ones 40%. Most reliable airline: American Airlines (78%). 7% 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 BNA → PHX: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 63% of the time. About 1 in 18 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 125 three hours or more; 0.9% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early77%
- 15–30 min late9.5%
- 30–60 min late7.1%
- 1–2 hours late3.8%
- 2–3 hours late1.1%
- 3+ hours late0.8%
- Diverted0.2%
- Cancelled0.9%
Share of all 2,366 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 1,768 | 76% | 0.9% | −2 min | 5.0% | +47 min | Southwest Airlines |
| American Airlines | 594 | 78% | 1.0% | −5 min | 7.9% | +117 min | American Airlines |
| Frontier Airlines | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | Frontier 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 BNA). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | Southwest Airlines | American Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| 5 a.m. | 97% | — |
| 6 a.m. | 93% | — |
| 7 a.m. | — | 87% |
| 8 a.m. | 86% | — |
| noon | 81% | — |
| 4 p.m. | 71% | — |
| 5 p.m. | 69% | 68% |
| 6 p.m. | 67% | — |
| 7 p.m. | 39% | — |
| 8 p.m. | 68% | — |
Last flight of the day
On BNA → PHX, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 0.8% of the time, against 0.8% for its earlier flights, about the same. It arrived 3+ hours late 1.5% of the time (earlier flights: 0.4%). 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 | 2:18 p.m. | 0.4% | 2.6% | 0.4% | first flight 7:15 a.m. |
| Southwest Airlines | 8:40 p.m. | 1.1% | 0.8% | 0.9% | first flight 5:45 a.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.
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: December (86%). Worst: June (68%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 360 | 77% | 1.4% |
| Tuesday | 309 | 80% | 0.7% |
| Wednesday | 324 | 79% | 0.0% |
| Thursday | 357 | 75% | 0.0% |
| Friday | 360 | 78% | 0.0% |
| Saturday | 292 | 75% | 1.7% |
| Sunday | 364 | 72% | 2.8% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: weather 17 · air traffic/airport 3 · airline 2
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA 3086 | 5:42 p.m. | 180 | 79% | 0.6% | −3 min | American Airlines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25, 2026 | 8 | 0% | 7 |
| Jan 24, 2026 | 4 | 0% | 3 |
| Jun 15, 2026 | 7 | 14% | 0 |
| Nov 8, 2025 | 5 | 20% | 0 |
| Mar 16, 2026 | 8 | 25% | 1 |
Questions
How often are flights from BNA to PHX on time?
77% of 2,366 scheduled flights from Nashville, TN to Phoenix, AZ arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 0.9% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly BNA to PHX?
Flights scheduled to leave at 5 a.m. were the most reliable (97% on time). The 7 p.m. departures were the least (40%).
Which airline is most on time from BNA to PHX?
American Airlines: 78% of its 594 flights on the route arrived on time. Southwest Airlines: 76%.
What month has the most delays from BNA to PHX?
June (68% on time). The best month is December (86%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from BNA to PHX more likely to be cancelled?
Not much. Each airline's last BNA–PHX flight of the day was cancelled 0.8% of the time over the past year, against 0.8% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- PHX → BNA (return)
- Nashville (BNA) delays by hour
- Flights into Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)
- Southwest Airlines on-time record
- American Airlines on-time record
- Frontier 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.