San Francisco (SFO) to Santa Barbara (SBA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SFO–SBA. August 2024 flights landed on schedule 93% of the time, but June 2026 dropped to 70% — a gap of 23 points. Across the full period the route averages 82% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 82%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 4.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 19m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 262 mi
Best airline from SFO to SBA
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 82% | 12 min | 0.7% | 1,786 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 81% | 16 min | 1.5% | 1,370 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SFO to SBA
Aim for departures around 10 a.m. (86% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (71%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 19 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 89% | 7 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 84% | 12 min |
| Friday | 76% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 88% | 8 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft37%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather12%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SFO to SBA delayed?
- 18% of SFO–SBA 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 14 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SFO to SBA?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 1,786 flights. 2 airlines flew SFO–SBA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SFO to SBA?
- Departures around 10 a.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (71%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SFO to SBA?
- The scheduled SFO–SBA flight time averages 1h 19m over 262 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 18% of the time.
- How often are SFO to SBA flights cancelled?
- 1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from SFO to SBA?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 70% of arrivals on time. The best was August 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 23-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,156 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.