Santa Ana (SNA) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SNA–SFO. March 2026 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but May 2026 dropped to 38% — a gap of 51 points. 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
- 1.4%
- Flights/day
- 13
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 35m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 372 mi
Best airline from SNA to SFO
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlinesmost reliable | 75% | 14 min | 1.0% | 305 |
| United Airlines | 73% | 18 min | 0.7% | 2,087 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 72% | 19 min | 1.6% | 6,781 |
| Frontier Airlines | 66% | 31 min | 2.0% | 405 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SNA to SFO
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (56%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 69% | 23 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 70% | 21 min |
| Friday | 71% | 22 min |
| Saturdaybest | 81% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 63% | 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 aircraft29%
- Airline operations19%
- National airspace system47%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SNA to SFO delayed?
- 28% of SNA–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 SNA to SFO?
- Alaska Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 75%, based on 305 flights. 4 airlines flew SNA–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SNA to SFO?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (56%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SNA to SFO?
- The scheduled SNA–SFO flight time averages 1h 35m over 372 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are SNA to SFO flights cancelled?
- 1.4% 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 SNA to SFO?
- May 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 38% of arrivals on time. The best was March 2026 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 51-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from SNA
Other ways to fly to San Francisco (SFO)
Related guides
Based on 9,578 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.