San Diego (SAN) to Fresno (FAT): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly SAN to FAT matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 89% on-time in January 2026 to just 48% in December 2024. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 70%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.4%
- Flights/day
- 4.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 23m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 314 mi
Best airline from SAN to FAT
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 9 min | 1.3% | 456 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 74% | 15 min | 1.5% | 2,269 |
| Alaska Airlines | 66% | 15 min | 1.4% | 71 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SAN to FAT
Aim for departures around 7 p.m. (86% on-time); avoid 12 p.m. departures (57%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 9 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 83% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 70% | 18 min |
| Friday | 71% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 70% | 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 aircraft52%
- Airline operations19%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAN to FAT delayed?
- 25% of SAN–FAT 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 14 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SAN to FAT?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 456 flights. 3 airlines flew SAN–FAT frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SAN to FAT?
- Departures around 7 p.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 12 p.m. have the worst (57%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SAN to FAT?
- The scheduled SAN–FAT flight time averages 1h 23m over 314 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are SAN to FAT flights cancelled?
- 1.4% 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 SAN to FAT?
- December 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 48% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2026 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 41-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from SAN
Based on 2,796 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.