San Luis Obispo (SBP) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SBP–DEN. January 2025 flights landed on schedule 93% of the time, but May 2025 dropped to 72% — a gap of 22 points. Across the full period the route averages 84% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 84%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 21 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 2.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 37m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 931 mi
Best airline from SBP to DEN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 86% | 25 min | 1.1% | 717 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 82% | 17 min | 0.1% | 736 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SBP to DEN
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (86% on-time); avoid 12 p.m. departures (81%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 84% | 16 min |
| Tuesday | 82% | 25 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 88% | 21 min |
| Thursday | 84% | 22 min |
| Friday | 82% | 23 min |
| Saturday | 85% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 82% | 25 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft33%
- Airline operations45%
- National airspace system15%
- Weather8%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SBP to DEN delayed?
- 16% of SBP–DEN 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 21 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SBP to DEN?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 717 flights. 2 airlines flew SBP–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SBP to DEN?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 12 p.m. have the worst (81%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SBP to DEN?
- The scheduled SBP–DEN flight time averages 2h 37m over 931 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 16% of the time.
- How often are SBP to DEN flights cancelled?
- 0.6% 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 SBP to DEN?
- May 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 72% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 22-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,453 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.