San Diego (SAN) to Phoenix (PHX): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly SAN to PHX matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 87% on-time in January 2025 to just 66% in November 2025. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 69%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.5%
- Flights/day
- 16
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 25m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 304 mi
Best airline from SAN to PHX
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 21 min | 0.6% | 3,480 |
| Alaska Airlines | 78% | 12 min | 1.8% | 217 |
| Southwest Airlines | 77% | 13 min | 1.6% | 6,381 |
| Frontier Airlines | 70% | 30 min | 2.5% | 1,041 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 66% | 21 min | 5.9% | 375 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SAN to PHX
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (67%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 19 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 83% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 21 min |
| Friday | 71% | 21 min |
| Saturdaybest | 85% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 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 aircraft63%
- Airline operations23%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAN to PHX delayed?
- 23% of SAN–PHX 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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SAN to PHX?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 3,480 flights. 5 airlines flew SAN–PHX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SAN to PHX?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 10 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 PHX?
- The scheduled SAN–PHX flight time averages 1h 25m over 304 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are SAN to PHX flights cancelled?
- 1.5% 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 PHX?
- November 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 66% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 21-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 11,494 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.