San Antonio (SAT) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly SAT to SFO matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 97% on-time in September 2024 to just 76% in November 2024. Across the full period the route averages 87% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 87%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Flights/day
- 1.2
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 3m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,482 mi
Best airline from SAT to SFO
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 88% | 12 min | 0.6% | 360 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 87% | 14 min | 0.3% | 615 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SAT to SFO
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 8 a.m. departures (80%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 84% | 12 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 92% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 90% | 8 min |
| Thursday | 84% | 23 min |
| Friday | 85% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 91% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 86% | 15 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft30%
- Airline operations34%
- National airspace system35%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAT to SFO delayed?
- 13% of SAT–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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SAT to SFO?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 88%, based on 360 flights. 2 airlines flew SAT–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SAT to SFO?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 8 a.m. have the worst (80%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SAT to SFO?
- The scheduled SAT–SFO flight time averages 4h 3m over 1,482 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 13% of the time.
- How often are SAT to SFO flights cancelled?
- 0.4% 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 SAT to SFO?
- November 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 76% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 22-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Related guides
Based on 975 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.