San Diego (SAN) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SAN–IAH. November 2024 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but December 2024 dropped to 69% — a gap of 23 points. Across the full period the route averages 83% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 83%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Flights/day
- 4.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 16m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,303 mi
Best airline from SAN to IAH
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 84% | 12 min | 1.0% | 3,410 |
| Spirit Airlines | 70% | 28 min | 4.3% | 93 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SAN to IAH
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (67%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 83% | 13 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 88% | 7 min |
| Wednesday | 84% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 82% | 15 min |
| Friday | 83% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 84% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 80% | 11 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft47%
- Airline operations18%
- National airspace system32%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAN to IAH delayed?
- 17% of SAN–IAH 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 12 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SAN to IAH?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 3,410 flights. 2 airlines flew SAN–IAH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SAN to IAH?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (67%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SAN to IAH?
- The scheduled SAN–IAH flight time averages 3h 16m over 1,303 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 17% of the time.
- How often are SAN to IAH flights cancelled?
- 1.1% 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 IAH?
- December 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 69% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 23-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,503 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.