Minneapolis (MSP) to Santa Ana (SNA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly MSP to SNA matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 88% on-time in September 2024 to just 42% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 71% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 71%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 1.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 60m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,522 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MSP to SNA
Aim for departures around 7 p.m. (87% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (68%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 14 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 74% | 20 min |
| Wednesday | 71% | 21 min |
| Thursday | 69% | 15 min |
| Friday | 70% | 25 min |
| Saturday | 70% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 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 aircraft18%
- Airline operations62%
- National airspace system18%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MSP to SNA delayed?
- 29% of MSP–SNA 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 18 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MSP to SNA?
- Departures around 7 p.m. have the best record (87% 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 SNA?
- The scheduled MSP–SNA flight time averages 3h 60m over 1,522 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 29% of the time.
- How often are MSP to SNA 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 MSP to SNA?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 42% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 47-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,172 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.