Los Angeles (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on LAX–SFO. March 2026 flights landed on schedule 85% of the time, but May 2026 dropped to 44% — a gap of 41 points. Across the full period the route averages 70% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 70%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 31
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 28m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 337 mi
Best airline from LAX to SFO
7 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 74% | 17 min | 0.7% | 5,582 |
| United Airlines | 72% | 17 min | 0.4% | 6,941 |
| American Airlines | 72% | 22 min | 0.1% | 1,054 |
| Delta Air Lines | 71% | 17 min | 1.1% | 4,944 |
| Southwest Airlines | 65% | 22 min | 0.2% | 2,862 |
| Frontier Airlines | 56% | 32 min | 1.3% | 941 |
| Alaska Airlines | 55% | 25 min | 0.4% | 1,214 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from LAX to SFO
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (99% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (52%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 67% | 21 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 77% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 72% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 68% | 21 min |
| Friday | 66% | 22 min |
| Saturday | 75% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 66% | 22 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft28%
- Airline operations22%
- National airspace system49%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from LAX to SFO delayed?
- 30% of LAX–SFO 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 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from LAX to SFO?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 74%, based on 5,582 flights. 7 airlines flew LAX–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from LAX to SFO?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (99% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (52%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from LAX to SFO?
- The scheduled LAX–SFO flight time averages 1h 28m over 337 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 30% of the time.
- How often are LAX to SFO flights cancelled?
- 0.6% 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 LAX to SFO?
- May 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 44% of arrivals on time. The best was March 2026 at 85%. If your dates are flexible, that 41-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 23,538 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.