Santa Barbara (SBA) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SBA–DEN. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 98% of the time, but May 2025 dropped to 69% — a gap of 30 points. Across the full period the route averages 84% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 84%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Flights/day
- 2.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 27m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 916 mi
Best airline from SBA to DEN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 12 min | 1.2% | 1,657 |
| Southwest Airlines | 82% | 12 min | 0.8% | 398 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SBA to DEN
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (52%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 84% | 9 min |
| Tuesday | 87% | 11 min |
| Wednesday | 87% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 82% | 16 min |
| Friday | 81% | 14 min |
| Saturdaybest | 87% | 8 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 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 aircraft22%
- Airline operations28%
- National airspace system45%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SBA to DEN delayed?
- 16% of SBA–DEN 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 12 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SBA to DEN?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 1,657 flights. 2 airlines flew SBA–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SBA to DEN?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (52%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SBA to DEN?
- The scheduled SBA–DEN flight time averages 2h 27m over 916 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 16% of the time.
- How often are SBA to DEN 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 SBA to DEN?
- May 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 69% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 98%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,100 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.