Fresno (FAT) to San Diego (SAN): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on FAT–SAN. September 2025 flights landed on schedule 84% of the time, but December 2024 dropped to 49% — a gap of 35 points. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 56%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 74%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.3%
- Flights/day
- 4.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 19m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 314 mi
Best airline from FAT to SAN
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 77% | 13 min | 0.4% | 456 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 73% | 15 min | 1.4% | 2,269 |
| Alaska Airlines | 70% | 28 min | 2.8% | 71 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from FAT to SAN
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 11 a.m. departures (53%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 15 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 80% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 17 min |
| Friday | 69% | 21 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 69% | 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 aircraft33%
- Airline operations26%
- National airspace system28%
- Weather12%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from FAT to SAN delayed?
- 26% of FAT–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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from FAT to SAN?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 77%, based on 456 flights. 3 airlines flew FAT–SAN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from FAT to SAN?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 11 a.m. have the worst (53%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from FAT to SAN?
- The scheduled FAT–SAN flight time averages 1h 19m over 314 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are FAT to SAN flights cancelled?
- 1.3% 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 SAN?
- December 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 49% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 84%. If your dates are flexible, that 35-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from FAT
Based on 2,796 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.