San Francisco (SFO) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SFO–DCA. November 2024 flights landed on schedule 95% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 54% — a gap of 41 points. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 11 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Flights/day
- 3.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 15m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,442 mi
Best airline from SFO to DCA
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 82% | 11 min | 0.5% | 1,202 |
| Alaska Airlines | 78% | 13 min | 0.6% | 725 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SFO to DCA
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (85% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (70%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 81% | 12 min |
| Tuesday | 84% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 77% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 18 min |
| Friday | 76% | 10 min |
| Saturdaybest | 88% | 6 min |
| Sunday | 83% | 11 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft26%
- Airline operations17%
- National airspace system56%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SFO to DCA delayed?
- 20% of SFO–DCA 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 DCA?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 1,202 flights. 2 airlines flew SFO–DCA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SFO to DCA?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (85% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (70%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SFO to DCA?
- The scheduled SFO–DCA flight time averages 5h 15m over 2,442 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are SFO to DCA flights cancelled?
- 0.5% 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 SFO to DCA?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 54% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 41-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,927 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.