Tucson (TUS) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on TUS–SFO. August 2025 flights landed on schedule 95% of the time, but May 2026 dropped to 40% — a gap of 55 points. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 2.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 27m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 751 mi
Best airline from TUS to SFO
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 79% | 22 min | 2.3% | 129 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 77% | 18 min | 0.4% | 1,782 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from TUS to SFO
Aim for departures around 11 a.m. (100% on-time); avoid 8 a.m. departures (64%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 24 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 85% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 77% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 22 min |
| Friday | 72% | 25 min |
| Saturday | 83% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 22 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft22%
- Airline operations28%
- National airspace system45%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from TUS to SFO delayed?
- 23% of TUS–SFO flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from TUS to SFO?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 129 flights. 2 airlines flew TUS–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from TUS to SFO?
- Departures around 11 a.m. have the best record (100% on-time), while departures around 8 a.m. have the worst (64%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from TUS to SFO?
- The scheduled TUS–SFO flight time averages 2h 27m over 751 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are TUS to SFO flights cancelled?
- 0.6% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from TUS to SFO?
- May 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 40% of arrivals on time. The best was August 2025 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 55-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,911 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.