Kansas City (MCI) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MCI–SFO. August 2024 flights landed on schedule 100% of the time, but July 2026 dropped to 13% — a gap of 87 points. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 69%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Flights/day
- 1.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 6m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,499 mi
Best airline from MCI to SFO
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 16 min | 1.6% | 513 |
| United Airlines | 78% | 19 min | 1.8% | 332 |
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 (35%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 27 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 87% | 7 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 18 min |
| Friday | 84% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 82% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 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 aircraft20%
- Airline operations33%
- National airspace system46%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MCI to SFO delayed?
- 21% of MCI–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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MCI to SFO?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 513 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 (35%). 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 6m over 1,499 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are MCI to SFO flights cancelled?
- 1.7% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from MCI to SFO?
- July 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 13% of arrivals on time. The best was August 2024 at 100%. If your dates are flexible, that 87-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 845 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.