Fresno (FAT) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly FAT to DEN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 97% on-time in October 2024 to just 78% in May 2025. Across the full period the route averages 87% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 87%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 10 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.2%
- Flights/day
- 4.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 25m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 844 mi
Best airline from FAT to DEN
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 90% | 11 min | 0.6% | 669 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 89% | 8 min | 0.1% | 1,513 |
| Southwest Airlines | 79% | 15 min | 0.0% | 723 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from FAT to DEN
Aim for departures around 10 a.m. (98% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (70%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 85% | 10 min |
| Tuesday | 88% | 11 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 90% | 8 min |
| Thursday | 87% | 13 min |
| Friday | 83% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 87% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 88% | 6 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft24%
- Airline operations44%
- National airspace system25%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from FAT to DEN delayed?
- 13% of FAT–DEN 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 10 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from FAT to DEN?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 90%, based on 669 flights. 3 airlines flew FAT–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from FAT to DEN?
- Departures around 10 a.m. have the best record (98% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (70%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from FAT to DEN?
- The scheduled FAT–DEN flight time averages 2h 25m over 844 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 13% of the time.
- How often are FAT to DEN flights cancelled?
- 0.2% 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 FAT to DEN?
- May 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 78% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 19-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,905 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.