Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) runs noticeably smoother than most US airports: 84% of its ~323 daily departures leave on time, 6 points above the national average, with an average departure delay of just 12 minutes. 11 airlines fly from Salt Lake City, UT to 98 destinations.
- Departures on-time
- 84%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 12 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 85%
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Destinations
- 98
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 11
Plan your departure from SLC
The choices most likely to improve your odds, based on this airport’s historical record.
- Best departure time
- Around 5 a.m.
- 94% on-time
- Best day to fly
- Tuesday
- 86% on-time
- Cancellation risk
- 0.7%
- below the US average
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from SLC
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 84% | 12 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 86% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 86% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 82% | 13 min |
| Friday | 82% | 12 min |
| Saturday | 84% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 82% | 13 min |
Busiest routes from SLC
Where flights into SLC come from
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEN (Denver) → SLC | 7,733 | 77% | 15 min |
| PHX (Phoenix) → SLC | 5,773 | 84% | 11 min |
| LAX (Los Angeles) → SLC | 4,189 | 88% | 9 min |
| SEA (Seattle) → SLC | 4,124 | 83% | 10 min |
| DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) → SLC | 3,869 | 71% | 23 min |
| LAS (Las Vegas) → SLC | 3,744 | 82% | 12 min |
| SFO (San Francisco) → SLC | 3,453 | 79% | 17 min |
| ORD (Chicago) → SLC | 3,204 | 73% | 23 min |
What causes delays at SLC
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing SLC.
- Late-arriving aircraft26%
- Airline operations49%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather6%
Alternative airports near Salt Lake City
Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.
| Airport | Distance | On-time departures | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| PVU — Provo Municipal Airport | 42 mi | 83% | 20 min |
Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.
Airline performance at SLC
| Airline | On-time departures | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlines | 91% | 7 min | 72,410 |
| Envoy Air | 85% | 9 min | 386 |
| Delta Air Lines | 83% | 12 min | 114,720 |
| United Airlines | 83% | 15 min | 9,531 |
| Frontier Airlines | 80% | 19 min | 6,923 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 79% | 27 min | 550 |
| American Airlines | 78% | 22 min | 8,836 |
| Alaska Airlines | 78% | 12 min | 3,031 |
| Spirit Airlines | 77% | 20 min | 995 |
| Southwest Airlines | 76% | 14 min | 24,054 |
| JetBlue Airways | 67% | 30 min | 1,428 |
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at SLC?
- 16% of departures from Salt Lake City International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-07 and 2026-07, with an average departure delay of 12 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
- What is the best time of day to depart from SLC?
- Flights scheduled around 5 a.m. depart on time 94% of the time at SLC, versus 70% around 7 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at SLC?
- In this dataset, July 2024 was the weakest month at SLC, with 77% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at SLC?
- 0.7% of scheduled departures from SLC were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Related guides
Based on 242,864 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.