Denver (DEN) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DEN–SFO. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 86% of the time, but May 2026 dropped to 53% — a gap of 32 points. Across the full period the route averages 71% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (78% vs 62%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 71%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Flights/day
- 15
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 47m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 967 mi
Best airline from DEN to SFO
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 76% | 17 min | 0.4% | 6,829 |
| Frontier Airlines | 71% | 18 min | 0.9% | 1,270 |
| Southwest Airlines | 61% | 23 min | 0.4% | 3,023 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to SFO
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (55%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 69% | 20 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 78% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 74% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 67% | 22 min |
| Friday | 70% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 75% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 65% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft37%
- Airline operations25%
- National airspace system36%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to SFO delayed?
- 29% of DEN–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 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DEN to SFO?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 76%, based on 6,829 flights. 3 airlines flew DEN–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to SFO?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (55%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DEN to SFO?
- The scheduled DEN–SFO flight time averages 2h 47m over 967 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 29% of the time.
- How often are DEN to SFO flights cancelled?
- 0.5% 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 SFO?
- May 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 53% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 11,122 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.