New York (JFK) to Santa Ana (SNA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly JFK to SNA matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 100% on-time in October 2024 to just 67% in February 2025. Across the full period the route averages 86% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 86%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.6%
- Flights/day
- 1.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 6h 16m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,454 mi
Best airline from JFK to SNA
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 86% | 11 min | 1.3% | 768 |
| Delta Air Lines | 84% | 15 min | 4.7% | 86 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from JFK to SNA
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 7 a.m. departures (82%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 83% | 13 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 97% | 2 min |
| Wednesday | 88% | 8 min |
| Thursday | 83% | 9 min |
| Friday | 84% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 85% | 10 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft13%
- Airline operations58%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from JFK to SNA delayed?
- 14% of JFK–SNA 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 JFK to SNA?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 768 flights. 2 airlines flew JFK–SNA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from JFK to SNA?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 7 a.m. have the worst (82%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from JFK to SNA?
- The scheduled JFK–SNA flight time averages 6h 16m over 2,454 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 14% of the time.
- How often are JFK to SNA flights cancelled?
- 1.6% 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 JFK to SNA?
- February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 67% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 100%. If your dates are flexible, that 33-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 854 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.