Honolulu (HNL) to San Diego (SAN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly HNL to SAN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 89% on-time in September 2025 to just 57% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (85% vs 74%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 4.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 31m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,614 mi
Best airline from HNL to SAN
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 87% | 7 min | 0.1% | 1,520 |
| Alaska Airlines | 76% | 13 min | 1.6% | 1,175 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 69% | 20 min | 0.5% | 884 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from HNL to SAN
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (86% on-time); avoid 11 p.m. departures (66%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 11 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 10 min |
| Friday | 76% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 11 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft19%
- Airline operations60%
- National airspace system15%
- Weather4%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from HNL to SAN delayed?
- 21% of HNL–SAN 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 12 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from HNL to SAN?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 1,520 flights. 3 airlines flew HNL–SAN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from HNL to SAN?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 11 p.m. have the worst (66%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from HNL to SAN?
- The scheduled HNL–SAN flight time averages 5h 31m over 2,614 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are HNL to SAN flights cancelled?
- 0.7% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from HNL to SAN?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 31-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,579 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.