San Francisco (SFO) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly SFO to DFW matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 85% on-time in October 2024 to just 60% in June 2026. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 22 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.0%
- Flights/day
- 11
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 36m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,464 mi
Best airline from SFO to DFW
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 13 min | 0.5% | 1,790 |
| American Airlines | 74% | 24 min | 2.3% | 6,456 |
| Frontier Airlines | 63% | 30 min | 3.6% | 446 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SFO to DFW
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (57%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 22 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 77% | 22 min |
| Wednesday | 77% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 22 min |
| Friday | 72% | 25 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 24 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft50%
- Airline operations36%
- National airspace system13%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SFO to DFW delayed?
- 25% of SFO–DFW 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 22 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SFO to DFW?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 1,790 flights. 3 airlines flew SFO–DFW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SFO to DFW?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (57%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SFO to DFW?
- The scheduled SFO–DFW flight time averages 3h 36m over 1,464 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are SFO to DFW flights cancelled?
- 2% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from SFO to DFW?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 85%. If your dates are flexible, that 25-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 8,710 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.