FlightRecord

Minneapolis (MSP) to San Jose (SJC): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Minneapolis (MSP) to San Jose (SJC) effectively runs on two schedules. In September 2024, 96% of arrivals were on time; in December 2025 that fell to 31% — a 65-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 69%), which matters most in the rough months.

On-time
74%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
17 min
completed flights
Cancelled
0.7%
Flights/day
1.4
last 12 months
Duration
4h 5m
scheduled
Distance
1,575 mi

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for MSP to SJC flights50%75%100%June 2024: 63% on-time (51 flights)63Jun 2024July 2024: 73% on-time (50 flights)73August 2024: 67% on-time (51 flights)67September 2024: 96% on-time (48 flights)96Sep 2024October 2024: 90% on-time (50 flights)90November 2024: 79% on-time (43 flights)79December 2024: 82% on-time (33 flights)82Dec 2024January 2025: 86% on-time (28 flights)86February 2025: 59% on-time (22 flights)59March 2025: 77% on-time (26 flights)77Mar 2025April 2025: 54% on-time (26 flights)54May 2025: 74% on-time (50 flights)74June 2025: 75% on-time (56 flights)75Jun 2025July 2025: 67% on-time (57 flights)67August 2025: 75% on-time (56 flights)75September 2025: 77% on-time (52 flights)77Sep 2025October 2025: 65% on-time (57 flights)65November 2025: 73% on-time (46 flights)73December 2025: 31% on-time (30 flights)31Dec 2025January 2026: 78% on-time (27 flights)78February 2026: 80% on-time (25 flights)80March 2026: 73% on-time (27 flights)73Mar 2026April 2026: 81% on-time (26 flights)81May 2026: 88% on-time (50 flights)88

Best time to fly from MSP to SJC

Aim for departures around 7 p.m. (88% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (68%).

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday73%13 min
Tuesdaybest78%13 min
Wednesday72%18 min
Thursday77%16 min
Friday73%20 min
Saturday76%22 min
Sunday70%18 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft23%
  • Airline operations58%
  • National airspace system17%
  • Weather3%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from MSP to SJC delayed?
26% of MSP–SJC 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 17 minutes.
What is the best time of day to fly from MSP to SJC?
Departures around 7 p.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (68%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from MSP to SJC?
The scheduled MSP–SJC flight time averages 4h 5m over 1,575 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
How often are MSP to SJC flights cancelled?
0.7% 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 MSP to SJC?
December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 31% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 65-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 987 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.