Phoenix (PHX) to Santa Barbara (SBA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on PHX–SBA. January 2025 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 68% — a gap of 23 points. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 3.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 38m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 455 mi
Best airline from PHX to SBA
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy Airmost reliable | 86% | 8 min | 0.7% | 867 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 81% | 14 min | 0.7% | 1,018 |
| American Airlines | 75% | 21 min | 0.7% | 1,082 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PHX to SBA
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (69%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 15 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 13 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 84% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 83% | 12 min |
| Friday | 77% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 17 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft40%
- Airline operations45%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PHX to SBA delayed?
- 20% of PHX–SBA 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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PHX to SBA?
- Envoy Air has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 867 flights. 3 airlines flew PHX–SBA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PHX to SBA?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 10 p.m. have the worst (69%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PHX to SBA?
- The scheduled PHX–SBA flight time averages 1h 38m over 455 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are PHX to SBA flights cancelled?
- 0.7% 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 PHX to SBA?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 68% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 23-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,979 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.