San Diego (SAN) to Tampa (TPA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SAN–TPA. October 2025 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 12% — a gap of 81 points. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.4%
- Flights/day
- 1.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 36m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,087 mi
Best airline from SAN to TPA
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 73% | 15 min | 0.4% | 234 |
| Alaska Airlines | 73% | 17 min | 1.7% | 701 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SAN to TPA
Aim for departures around 3 p.m. (88% on-time); avoid 9 a.m. departures (51%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Mondaybest | 76% | 15 min |
| Tuesday | 75% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 72% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 16 min |
| Friday | 73% | 26 min |
| Saturday | 74% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 70% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft36%
- Airline operations25%
- National airspace system32%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAN to TPA delayed?
- 27% of SAN–TPA 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 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SAN to TPA?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 73%, based on 234 flights. 2 airlines flew SAN–TPA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SAN to TPA?
- Departures around 3 p.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 9 a.m. have the worst (51%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SAN to TPA?
- The scheduled SAN–TPA flight time averages 4h 36m over 2,087 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 27% of the time.
- How often are SAN to TPA flights cancelled?
- 1.4% 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 TPA?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 12% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 81-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 935 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.