Pittsburgh (PIT) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on PIT–SFO. March 2026 flights landed on schedule 97% of the time, but December 2024 dropped to 65% — a gap of 32 points. Across the full period the route averages 82% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 82%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 1.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 34m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,254 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PIT to SFO
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (51%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 14 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 85% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 84% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 15 min |
| Friday | 83% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 85% | 7 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 14 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft16%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system51%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PIT to SFO delayed?
- 18% of PIT–SFO 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 13 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PIT to SFO?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (51%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PIT to SFO?
- The scheduled PIT–SFO flight time averages 5h 34m over 2,254 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 18% of the time.
- How often are PIT to SFO flights cancelled?
- 0.9% 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 PIT to SFO?
- December 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was March 2026 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 1,173 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.