Newark (EWR) to San Diego (SAN): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly EWR to SAN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 92% on-time in March 2026 to just 57% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (85% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.9%
- Flights/day
- 4.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 6h 2m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,425 mi
Best airline from EWR to SAN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 79% | 16 min | 1.5% | 2,481 |
| Alaska Airlines | 68% | 27 min | 3.1% | 650 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from EWR to SAN
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 21 min |
| Friday | 77% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 73% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 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 aircraft46%
- Airline operations22%
- National airspace system26%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from EWR to SAN delayed?
- 24% of EWR–SAN 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 EWR to SAN?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 2,481 flights. 2 airlines flew EWR–SAN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from EWR to SAN?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (58%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from EWR to SAN?
- The scheduled EWR–SAN flight time averages 6h 2m over 2,425 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are EWR to SAN flights cancelled?
- 1.9% 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 EWR to SAN?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was March 2026 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 35-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,131 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.