San Diego (SAN) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly SAN to SFO matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 83% on-time in March 2026 to just 38% in June 2026. Across the full period the route averages 66% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (69% vs 60%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 66%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 21 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Flights/day
- 18
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 42m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 447 mi
Best airline from SAN to SFO
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 74% | 17 min | 0.6% | 5,293 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 66% | 21 min | 1.5% | 3,544 |
| Southwest Airlines | 60% | 25 min | 0.9% | 3,679 |
| Alaska Airlines | 56% | 25 min | 0.9% | 749 |
| Frontier Airlines | 54% | 34 min | 4.5% | 638 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SAN to SFO
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (47%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 62% | 23 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 77% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 69% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 62% | 26 min |
| Friday | 60% | 27 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 63% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft37%
- Airline operations15%
- National airspace system45%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAN to SFO delayed?
- 34% of SAN–SFO 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 21 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SAN to SFO?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 74%, based on 5,293 flights. 5 airlines flew SAN–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SAN to SFO?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (47%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SAN to SFO?
- The scheduled SAN–SFO flight time averages 1h 42m over 447 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 34% of the time.
- How often are SAN to SFO flights cancelled?
- 1.1% 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 SFO?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 38% of arrivals on time. The best was March 2026 at 83%. If your dates are flexible, that 45-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 13,903 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.