San Jose (SJC) to San Diego (SAN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly SJC to SAN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 86% on-time in January 2025 to just 60% in June 2026. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (81% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 74%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 14
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 26m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 417 mi
Best airline from SJC to SAN
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 8 min | 1.2% | 172 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 75% | 14 min | 1.2% | 2,498 |
| Southwest Airlines | 74% | 14 min | 0.8% | 7,895 |
| Spirit Airlines | 74% | 19 min | 1.5% | 529 |
| Frontier Airlines | 68% | 18 min | 0.0% | 129 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SJC to SAN
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (55%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 84% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 69% | 17 min |
| Friday | 64% | 21 min |
| Saturdaybest | 85% | 8 min |
| Sunday | 70% | 15 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft39%
- Airline operations21%
- National airspace system38%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SJC to SAN delayed?
- 26% of SJC–SAN 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 SJC to SAN?
- Alaska Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 172 flights. 5 airlines flew SJC–SAN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SJC to SAN?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (55%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SJC to SAN?
- The scheduled SJC–SAN flight time averages 1h 26m over 417 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are SJC to SAN 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 SJC to SAN?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 11,223 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.