Salt Lake City (SLC) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Salt Lake City (SLC) to San Francisco (SFO) effectively runs on two schedules. In January 2025, 88% of arrivals were on time; in July 2026 that fell to 40% — a 48-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 72% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 72%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 9.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 13m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 599 mi
Best airline from SLC to SFO
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 76% | 19 min | 0.2% | 936 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 74% | 20 min | 0.8% | 2,411 |
| Delta Air Lines | 70% | 18 min | 0.7% | 3,560 |
| Frontier Airlines | 70% | 27 min | 1.8% | 447 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SLC to SFO
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (55%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 68% | 23 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 79% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 20 min |
| Thursday | 70% | 21 min |
| Friday | 71% | 19 min |
| Saturdaybest | 79% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 70% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft21%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system47%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SLC to SFO delayed?
- 28% of SLC–SFO 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 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SLC to SFO?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 76%, based on 936 flights. 4 airlines flew SLC–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SLC to SFO?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 8 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 SLC to SFO?
- The scheduled SLC–SFO flight time averages 2h 13m over 599 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are SLC to SFO flights cancelled?
- 0.8% 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 SLC to SFO?
- July 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 40% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 48-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 7,354 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.