Washington (DCA) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly DCA to SFO matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 92% on-time in October 2024 to just 59% in February 2025. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (91% vs 73%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 3.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 6h 6m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,442 mi
Best airline from DCA to SFO
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 16 min | 0.8% | 1,201 |
| Alaska Airlines | 73% | 19 min | 0.7% | 725 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to SFO
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (73%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 81% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 74% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 29 min |
| Friday | 75% | 19 min |
| Saturdaybest | 86% | 9 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 20 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft33%
- Airline operations21%
- National airspace system37%
- Weather9%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to SFO delayed?
- 22% of DCA–SFO flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DCA to SFO?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 1,201 flights. 2 airlines flew DCA–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to SFO?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (73%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DCA to SFO?
- The scheduled DCA–SFO flight time averages 6h 6m over 2,442 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are DCA to SFO flights cancelled?
- 0.8% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DCA to SFO?
- February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 33-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,926 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.