San Francisco (SFO) to Santa Ana (SNA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SFO–SNA. March 2026 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but July 2026 dropped to 63% — a gap of 27 points. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 13
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 39m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 372 mi
Best airline from SFO to SNA
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 10 min | 0.3% | 2,087 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 79% | 13 min | 1.5% | 6,719 |
| Alaska Airlines | 78% | 14 min | 0.3% | 304 |
| Frontier Airlines | 70% | 27 min | 2.2% | 403 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SFO to SNA
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (71%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 15 min |
| Tuesday | 85% | 8 min |
| Wednesday | 82% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 14 min |
| Friday | 77% | 15 min |
| Saturdaybest | 86% | 9 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 14 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft46%
- Airline operations23%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SFO to SNA delayed?
- 20% of SFO–SNA 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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SFO to SNA?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 2,087 flights. 4 airlines flew SFO–SNA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SFO to SNA?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (93% 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 SNA?
- The scheduled SFO–SNA flight time averages 1h 39m over 372 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are SFO to SNA flights cancelled?
- 1.2% 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 SNA?
- July 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 63% of arrivals on time. The best was March 2026 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 9,513 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.