San Diego (SAN) to Honolulu (HNL): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly SAN to HNL matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 86% on-time in January 2025 to just 57% in July 2025. Across the full period the route averages 72% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 72%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 4.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 6h 13m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,614 mi
Best airline from SAN to HNL
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 80% | 11 min | 0.5% | 1,519 |
| Alaska Airlines | 72% | 18 min | 1.4% | 1,176 |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 59% | 29 min | 1.1% | 887 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SAN to HNL
Aim for departures around 4 p.m. (85% on-time); avoid 12 p.m. departures (55%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 70% | 18 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 78% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 74% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 69% | 20 min |
| Friday | 67% | 22 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 20 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft26%
- Airline operations54%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather6%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAN to HNL delayed?
- 28% of SAN–HNL 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 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SAN to HNL?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 1,519 flights. 3 airlines flew SAN–HNL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SAN to HNL?
- Departures around 4 p.m. have the best record (85% on-time), while departures around 12 p.m. have the worst (55%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SAN to HNL?
- The scheduled SAN–HNL flight time averages 6h 13m over 2,614 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are SAN to HNL 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 SAN to HNL?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,582 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.