Dallas (DAL) to San Diego (SAN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly DAL to SAN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 88% on-time in February 2025 to just 49% in June 2026. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 61%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Flights/day
- 4.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 9m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,182 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DAL to SAN
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (51%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 76% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 69% | 17 min |
| Friday | 70% | 18 min |
| Saturdaybest | 79% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 69% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft47%
- Airline operations32%
- National airspace system18%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DAL to SAN delayed?
- 27% of DAL–SAN 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 15 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DAL to SAN?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (51%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DAL to SAN?
- The scheduled DAL–SAN flight time averages 3h 9m over 1,182 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 27% of the time.
- How often are DAL to SAN flights cancelled?
- 1.1% 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 DAL to SAN?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 49% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2025 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 38-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,285 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.