Kansas City (MCI) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MCI–SFO. June 2024 flights landed on schedule 100% of the time, but February 2025 dropped to 64% — a gap of 36 points. Across the full period the route averages 85% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (90% vs 80%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 85%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.6%
- Flights/day
- 1.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 7m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,499 mi
Best airline from MCI to SFO
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 91% | 7 min | 1.7% | 301 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 81% | 16 min | 1.6% | 513 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MCI to SFO
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (97% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (59%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 20 min |
| Tuesday | 90% | 6 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 86% | 12 min |
| Fridaybest | 90% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 87% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 82% | 15 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft15%
- Airline operations46%
- National airspace system37%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MCI to SFO delayed?
- 16% of MCI–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 12 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MCI to SFO?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 91%, based on 301 flights. 2 airlines flew MCI–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MCI to SFO?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (59%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MCI to SFO?
- The scheduled MCI–SFO flight time averages 4h 7m over 1,499 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 16% of the time.
- How often are MCI to SFO flights cancelled?
- 1.6% 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 MCI to SFO?
- February 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 64% of arrivals on time. The best was June 2024 at 100%. If your dates are flexible, that 36-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 814 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.