Anchorage (ANC) to Fairbanks (FAI): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ANC–FAI. May 2025 flights landed on schedule 98% of the time, but January 2026 dropped to 78% — a gap of 20 points. Across the full period the route averages 89% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 89%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 7 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 3.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 4m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 261 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ANC to FAI
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (100% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (79%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 82% | 10 min |
| Tuesday | 92% | 7 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 92% | 4 min |
| Thursday | 88% | 6 min |
| Friday | 91% | 5 min |
| Saturday | 91% | 5 min |
| Sunday | 90% | 8 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft32%
- Airline operations44%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather10%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ANC to FAI delayed?
- 11% of ANC–FAI flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 7 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ANC to FAI?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (100% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (79%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ANC to FAI?
- The scheduled ANC–FAI flight time averages 1h 4m over 261 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 11% of the time.
- How often are ANC to FAI flights cancelled?
- 0.7% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from ANC to FAI?
- January 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 78% of arrivals on time. The best was May 2025 at 98%. If your dates are flexible, that 20-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 2,291 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.