San Diego (SAN) to New Orleans (MSY): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
San Diego (SAN) to New Orleans (MSY) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 342 departures over the past year, roughly 7 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 69% arrived on time, noticeably below the national average of 78%.
- On-time
- 69%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 0.94
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 33m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,600 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SAN to MSY
Aim for departures around 10 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (50%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 65% | 16 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 14 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 82% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 57% | 28 min |
| Friday | 62% | 25 min |
| Saturday | 74% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 66% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft63%
- Airline operations24%
- National airspace system13%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAN to MSY delayed?
- 31% of SAN–MSY 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 19 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SAN to MSY?
- Departures around 10 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (50%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SAN to MSY?
- The scheduled SAN–MSY flight time averages 3h 33m over 1,600 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 31% of the time.
- How often are SAN to MSY flights cancelled?
- 0.7% 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 MSY?
- December 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 52% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2026 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 35-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Related guides
Based on 701 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.