Houston (HOU) to San Diego (SAN): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
Houston (HOU) to San Diego (SAN) effectively runs on two schedules. In August 2025, 94% of arrivals were on time; in June 2025 that fell to 61% — a 32-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 69%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 2.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 24m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,313 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from HOU to SAN
Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (62%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 10 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 76% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 15 min |
| Friday | 78% | 12 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 13 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft43%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from HOU to SAN delayed?
- 23% of HOU–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 12 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from HOU to SAN?
- Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (62%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from HOU to SAN?
- The scheduled HOU–SAN flight time averages 3h 24m over 1,313 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are HOU to SAN flights cancelled?
- 0.8% 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 HOU to SAN?
- June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was August 2025 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,808 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.