New Orleans (MSY) to San Diego (SAN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
New Orleans (MSY) to San Diego (SAN) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 342 departures over the past year, roughly 7 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 70% arrived on time, noticeably below the national average of 78%.
- On-time
- 70%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Flights/day
- 0.94
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 2m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,600 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MSY to SAN
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (35%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 68% | 19 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 65% | 18 min |
| Friday | 69% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 70% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 64% | 25 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft55%
- Airline operations27%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MSY to SAN delayed?
- 30% of MSY–SAN 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 16 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MSY to SAN?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 4 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 MSY to SAN?
- The scheduled MSY–SAN flight time averages 4h 2m over 1,600 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 30% of the time.
- How often are MSY to SAN flights cancelled?
- 0.4% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from MSY to SAN?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 35% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2026 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 54-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Other ways to fly to San Diego (SAN)
Related guides
Based on 702 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.