San Francisco (SFO) to Newark (EWR): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly SFO to EWR matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 88% on-time in January 2025 to just 57% in May 2025. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 21 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.8%
- Flights/day
- 12
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 34m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,565 mi
Best airline from SFO to EWR
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlinesmost reliable | 79% | 14 min | 1.2% | 1,347 |
| United Airlines | 74% | 22 min | 2.0% | 7,730 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SFO to EWR
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (87% on-time); avoid 1 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 20 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 22 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 25 min |
| Friday | 75% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 75% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 70% | 26 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft36%
- Airline operations27%
- National airspace system35%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SFO to EWR delayed?
- 25% of SFO–EWR 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 21 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SFO to EWR?
- Alaska Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 1,347 flights. 2 airlines flew SFO–EWR frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SFO to EWR?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (87% on-time), while departures around 1 p.m. have the worst (58%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SFO to EWR?
- The scheduled SFO–EWR flight time averages 5h 34m over 2,565 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are SFO to EWR flights cancelled?
- 1.8% 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 EWR?
- May 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 31-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 9,077 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.