San Francisco (SFO) to Anchorage (ANC): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
San Francisco (SFO) to Anchorage (ANC) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 290 departures over the past year, roughly 6 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 80% arrived on time.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 11 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.2%
- Flights/day
- 0.79
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 50m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,018 mi
Best airline from SFO to ANC
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 88% | 7 min | 0.4% | 250 |
| Alaska Airlines | 74% | 14 min | 0.0% | 306 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SFO to ANC
Aim for departures around 5 p.m. (86% on-time); avoid 11 a.m. departures (47%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 85% | 8 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 86% | 11 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 15 min |
| Friday | 78% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 8 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 14 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft51%
- Airline operations22%
- National airspace system25%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SFO to ANC delayed?
- 20% of SFO–ANC 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 11 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SFO to ANC?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 88%, based on 250 flights. 2 airlines flew SFO–ANC frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SFO to ANC?
- Departures around 5 p.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 11 a.m. have the worst (47%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SFO to ANC?
- The scheduled SFO–ANC flight time averages 4h 50m over 2,018 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are SFO to ANC flights cancelled?
- 0.2% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What day of the week is most reliable for SFO to ANC?
- Tuesday flights have the best record at 86% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are meaningful — Thursday trails at 74%.
Explore related pages
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Related guides
Based on 556 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.