San Diego (SAN) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly SAN to DFW matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 88% on-time in April 2026 to just 64% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (80% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 23 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.5%
- Flights/day
- 9.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 8m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,171 mi
Best airline from SAN to DFW
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlinesmost reliable | 77% | 12 min | 1.3% | 80 |
| American Airlines | 76% | 22 min | 2.6% | 6,274 |
| Frontier Airlines | 68% | 30 min | 2.4% | 543 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SAN to DFW
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 74% | 26 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 79% | 22 min |
| Wednesday | 77% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 24 min |
| Friday | 74% | 25 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 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 aircraft49%
- Airline operations28%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather9%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAN to DFW delayed?
- 25% of SAN–DFW 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 23 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SAN to DFW?
- Alaska Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 77%, based on 80 flights. 3 airlines flew SAN–DFW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SAN to DFW?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (58%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SAN to DFW?
- The scheduled SAN–DFW flight time averages 3h 8m over 1,171 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are SAN to DFW flights cancelled?
- 2.5% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from SAN to DFW?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 64% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2026 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 24-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 6,897 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.