Newark (EWR) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly EWR to SFO matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 90% on-time in January 2025 to just 52% in June 2026. 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 60%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 72%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 26 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.1%
- Flights/day
- 12
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 6h 21m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,565 mi
Best airline from EWR to SFO
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlinesmost reliable | 73% | 21 min | 1.4% | 1,346 |
| United Airlines | 72% | 26 min | 2.2% | 7,733 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from EWR to SFO
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (97% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (48%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 71% | 31 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 79% | 18 min |
| Wednesday | 74% | 22 min |
| Thursday | 68% | 28 min |
| Friday | 71% | 26 min |
| Saturday | 73% | 23 min |
| Sunday | 69% | 30 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft34%
- Airline operations35%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from EWR to SFO delayed?
- 28% of EWR–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 26 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from EWR to SFO?
- Alaska Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 73%, based on 1,346 flights. 2 airlines flew EWR–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from EWR to SFO?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (48%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from EWR to SFO?
- The scheduled EWR–SFO flight time averages 6h 21m over 2,565 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are EWR to SFO flights cancelled?
- 2.1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from EWR to SFO?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 52% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 38-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 9,079 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.