Denver (DEN) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DEN–SFO. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 86% of the time, but June 2026 dropped to 39% — a gap of 46 points. Across the full period the route averages 69% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (75% vs 60%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 69%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 20 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 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 74% | 18 min | 0.4% | 7,196 |
| Frontier Airlines | 67% | 20 min | 0.8% | 1,356 |
| Southwest Airlines | 58% | 26 min | 0.4% | 3,119 |
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 (52%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 66% | 22 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 75% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 72% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 64% | 24 min |
| Friday | 68% | 21 min |
| Saturday | 73% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 64% | 24 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft36%
- Airline operations23%
- National airspace system38%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to SFO delayed?
- 31% of DEN–SFO 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 20 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DEN to SFO?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 74%, based on 7,196 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 (52%). 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 31% of the time.
- How often are DEN to SFO flights cancelled?
- 0.5% 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 DEN to SFO?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 39% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 46-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 11,671 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.