Best Time to Fly DTW to SAN: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Detroit Metro Wayne County → San Diego International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 75.3% of Detroit (DTW) to San Diego (SAN) flights arrived on time (1,290 scheduled flights). That is 2.3 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Spirit Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 88.6%, while Delta Air Lines trailed at 75.0%.
October has been the best month (85% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (73%).
0.9% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DTW to SAN on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlines | 88.6% | 29 min | 2.7% | 37 |
| Delta Air Lines | 75.0% | 59 min | 0.9% | 1,253 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DTW to SAN
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 2,536 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8am–9am | 82.6% | 0.6% | 694 |
| 9am–10am | 90.0% | 1.2% | 82 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 20 | |
| 12pm–1pm | 82.6% | 0.6% | 497 |
| 3pm–4pm | 81.1% | 0.0% | 92 |
| 4pm–5pm | 72.7% | 0.6% | 630 |
| 5pm–6pm | Limited data | 6 | |
| 8pm–9pm | 65.0% | 1.2% | 494 |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 21 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DTW to SAN
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 75.5% | -4.2 pts | 0.0% | 50 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 58.6% | -21.1 pts | 3.7% | 109 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 69.3% | -10.5 pts | 0.6% | 490 |
| All other days | 79.7% | — | 0.6% | 1,887 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).