Indianapolis (IND) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on IND–SFO. August 2024 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but June 2024 dropped to 42% — a gap of 50 points. 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 67%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 1.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 56m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,943 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IND to SFO
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (62%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 15 min |
| Tuesday | 82% | 12 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 86% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 17 min |
| Friday | 79% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 84% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 21 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft31%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system31%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IND to SFO delayed?
- 21% of IND–SFO 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 16 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IND to SFO?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 7 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 IND to SFO?
- The scheduled IND–SFO flight time averages 4h 56m over 1,943 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are IND to SFO flights cancelled?
- 1% 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 IND to SFO?
- June 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 42% of arrivals on time. The best was August 2024 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 50-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from IND
Other ways to fly to San Francisco (SFO)
Related guides
Based on 994 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.