Denver (DEN) to San Antonio (SAT): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DEN–SAT. December 2024 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 58% — a gap of 32 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 67%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Flights/day
- 8.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 12m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 794 mi
Best airline from DEN to SAT
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 12 min | 0.3% | 2,526 |
| Frontier Airlines | 77% | 15 min | 0.6% | 646 |
| Southwest Airlines | 75% | 15 min | 0.3% | 2,921 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to SAT
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (53%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 13 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 82% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 15 min |
| Friday | 76% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 17 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft55%
- Airline operations28%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to SAT delayed?
- 23% of DEN–SAT 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 14 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DEN to SAT?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 2,526 flights. 3 airlines flew DEN–SAT frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to SAT?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (53%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DEN to SAT?
- The scheduled DEN–SAT flight time averages 2h 12m over 794 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are DEN to SAT flights cancelled?
- 0.4% 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 DEN to SAT?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 58% of arrivals on time. The best was December 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 6,142 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.