Seattle (SEA) to Tucson (TUS): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly SEA to TUS matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 96% on-time in April 2026 to just 62% in August 2024. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 74%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 11 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.3%
- Flights/day
- 2.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 8m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,215 mi
Best airline from SEA to TUS
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 84% | 13 min | 0.6% | 315 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 83% | 10 min | 0.1% | 761 |
| Alaska Airlines | 79% | 10 min | 0.4% | 1,135 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SEA to TUS
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (61%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 81% | 11 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 10 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 85% | 7 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 12 min |
| Friday | 81% | 9 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 13 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 operations43%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SEA to TUS delayed?
- 19% of SEA–TUS 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 11 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SEA to TUS?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 315 flights. 3 airlines flew SEA–TUS frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SEA to TUS?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (61%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SEA to TUS?
- The scheduled SEA–TUS flight time averages 3h 8m over 1,215 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are SEA to TUS flights cancelled?
- 0.3% 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 SEA to TUS?
- August 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2026 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 33-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,211 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.