Orlando (MCO) to San Diego (SAN): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MCO–SAN. April 2025 flights landed on schedule 88% of the time, but September 2024 dropped to 61% — a gap of 27 points. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 74%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 2.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 23m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,149 mi
Best airline from MCO to SAN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlinesmost reliable | 76% | 16 min | 0.9% | 1,250 |
| Southwest Airlines | 70% | 16 min | 0.7% | 446 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MCO to SAN
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (87% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (60%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 18 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 80% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 15 min |
| Friday | 73% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 72% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 68% | 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 aircraft39%
- Airline operations22%
- National airspace system26%
- Weather12%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MCO to SAN delayed?
- 26% of MCO–SAN 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.
- Which airline is most reliable from MCO to SAN?
- Alaska Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 76%, based on 1,250 flights. 2 airlines flew MCO–SAN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MCO to SAN?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (87% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (60%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MCO to SAN?
- The scheduled MCO–SAN flight time averages 5h 23m over 2,149 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are MCO to SAN flights cancelled?
- 0.8% 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 MCO to SAN?
- September 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2025 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,696 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.