Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to San Jose (SJC): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly DFW to SJC matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 86% on-time in October 2024 to just 56% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 72% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (78% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 72%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.8%
- Flights/day
- 3.2
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 47m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,438 mi
Best airline from DFW to SJC
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 75% | 14 min | 0.6% | 340 |
| American Airlines | 72% | 19 min | 2.0% | 2,190 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DFW to SJC
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (54%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 71% | 20 min |
| Tuesday | 74% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 71% | 20 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 15 min |
| Friday | 72% | 21 min |
| Saturdaybest | 75% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 70% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft43%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system13%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DFW to SJC delayed?
- 28% of DFW–SJC 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 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DFW to SJC?
- Spirit Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 75%, based on 340 flights. 2 airlines flew DFW–SJC frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DFW to SJC?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (54%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DFW to SJC?
- The scheduled DFW–SJC flight time averages 3h 47m over 1,438 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are DFW to SJC flights cancelled?
- 1.8% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DFW to SJC?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 2,530 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.