Santa Ana (SNA) to New York (JFK): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SNA–JFK. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 94% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 45% — a gap of 48 points. Across the full period the route averages 72% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 72%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 33 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.1%
- Flights/day
- 1.3
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 30m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,454 mi
Best airline from SNA to JFK
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 88% | 26 min | 5.8% | 86 |
| American Airlines | 71% | 34 min | 1.7% | 768 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SNA to JFK
Aim for departures around 9 p.m. (88% on-time); avoid 11 a.m. departures (65%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 71% | 31 min |
| Tuesday | 73% | 32 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 76% | 38 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 19 min |
| Friday | 73% | 36 min |
| Saturday | 73% | 34 min |
| Sunday | 66% | 40 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft27%
- Airline operations39%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather12%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SNA to JFK delayed?
- 28% of SNA–JFK 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 33 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SNA to JFK?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 88%, based on 86 flights. 2 airlines flew SNA–JFK frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SNA to JFK?
- Departures around 9 p.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 11 a.m. have the worst (65%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SNA to JFK?
- The scheduled SNA–JFK flight time averages 5h 30m over 2,454 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are SNA to JFK flights cancelled?
- 2.1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from SNA to JFK?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 45% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 48-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 854 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.