Tampa (TPA) to San Diego (SAN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly TPA to SAN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 100% on-time in February 2025 to just 56% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 69%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Flights/day
- 1.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 16m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,087 mi
Best airline from TPA to SAN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlinesmost reliable | 80% | 12 min | 2.3% | 732 |
| Southwest Airlines | 61% | 21 min | 0.0% | 291 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from TPA to SAN
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (45%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 12 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 11 min |
| Wednesday | 77% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 12 min |
| Friday | 76% | 17 min |
| Saturday | 67% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 69% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft43%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather8%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from TPA to SAN delayed?
- 25% of TPA–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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from TPA to SAN?
- Alaska Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 732 flights. 2 airlines flew TPA–SAN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from TPA to SAN?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (45%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from TPA to SAN?
- The scheduled TPA–SAN flight time averages 5h 16m over 2,087 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are TPA to SAN flights cancelled?
- 1.7% 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 TPA to SAN?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2025 at 100%. If your dates are flexible, that 44-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,023 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.