San Francisco (SFO) to Minneapolis (MSP): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SFO–MSP. October 2025 flights landed on schedule 95% of the time, but May 2026 dropped to 74% — a gap of 21 points. Across the full period the route averages 86% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 86%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 10 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 5.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 43m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,589 mi
Best airline from SFO to MSP
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 87% | 10 min | 0.9% | 2,931 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 85% | 10 min | 0.0% | 414 |
| United Airlines | 83% | 11 min | 0.4% | 558 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SFO to MSP
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (97% on-time); avoid 11 a.m. departures (77%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 84% | 12 min |
| Tuesday | 89% | 8 min |
| Wednesday | 85% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 86% | 9 min |
| Friday | 85% | 13 min |
| Saturdaybest | 90% | 8 min |
| Sunday | 83% | 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 aircraft49%
- Airline operations38%
- National airspace system13%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SFO to MSP delayed?
- 14% of SFO–MSP 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 10 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SFO to MSP?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 2,931 flights. 3 airlines flew SFO–MSP frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SFO to MSP?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 11 a.m. have the worst (77%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SFO to MSP?
- The scheduled SFO–MSP flight time averages 3h 43m over 1,589 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 14% of the time.
- How often are SFO to MSP flights cancelled?
- 0.7% 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 MSP?
- May 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 74% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 21-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,903 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.