Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB) is a tale of two seasons: departures ran 82% on-time in October 2024 but sank to 60% in July 2025. Across the year it averages 73% against a national 78%, over roughly 28 departures a day to 72 destinations.
- Departures on-time
- 73%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 22 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 66%
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Destinations
- 72
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 1
Plan your departure from SFB
The choices most likely to improve your odds, based on this airport’s historical record.
- Best departure time
- Around 9 a.m.
- 90% on-time
- Best day to fly
- Wednesday
- 77% on-time
- Cancellation risk
- 1.1%
- below the US average
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from SFB
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 71% | 25 min |
| Tuesday | 76% | 15 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 77% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 70% | 23 min |
| Friday | 70% | 24 min |
| Saturday | 71% | 21 min |
| Sunday | 68% | 29 min |
Busiest routes from SFB
Where flights into SFB come from
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ABE (Allentown/Bethlehem/Easton) → SFB | 645 | 82% | 18 min |
| TYS (Knoxville) → SFB | 640 | 72% | 24 min |
| AVL (Asheville) → SFB | 525 | 73% | 28 min |
| GRR (Grand Rapids) → SFB | 412 | 73% | 22 min |
| FNT (Flint) → SFB | 348 | 77% | 22 min |
| CVG (Cincinnati) → SFB | 344 | 73% | 24 min |
| BGR (Bangor) → SFB | 288 | 73% | 18 min |
| MDT (Harrisburg) → SFB | 278 | 62% | 44 min |
What causes delays at SFB
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing SFB.
- Late-arriving aircraft30%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system13%
- Weather20%
Alternative airports near Sanford
Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.
| Airport | Distance | On-time departures | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCO — Orlando International Airport | 24 mi | 75% | 19 min |
| DAB — Daytona Beach International Airport | 30 mi | 83% | 16 min |
| MLB — Melbourne Orlando International Airport | 59 mi | 83% | 15 min |
| GNV — Gainesville Regional Airport | 89 mi | 84% | 15 min |
| TPA — Tampa International Airport | 96 mi | 78% | 17 min |
Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at SFB?
- 27% of departures from Orlando Sanford International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-06 and 2026-05, with an average departure delay of 22 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
- What is the best time of day to depart from SFB?
- Flights scheduled around 9 a.m. depart on time 90% of the time at SFB, versus 48% around 6 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at SFB?
- In this dataset, July 2025 was the weakest month at SFB, with 60% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at SFB?
- 1.1% of scheduled departures from SFB were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Related guides
Based on 20,210 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.