Best Time to Fly LAX to SFO: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Los Angeles International → San Francisco International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
11,235 flights were scheduled from Los Angeles (LAX) to San Francisco (SFO) in the last 12 months, and 62.2% of those that flew arrived on time, 15.4 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Among 7 airlines, SkyWest Airlines led with 69.2% on time and Frontier Airlines was last with 49.5%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (76% on time) and July the worst month (56%).
The cancellation rate was 0.8% (US average 1.8%).
LAX to SFO 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlines | 69.2% | 60 min | 1.2% | 2,573 |
| United Airlines | 64.4% | 57 min | 0.2% | 3,291 |
| Delta Air Lines | 62.9% | 54 min | 1.6% | 2,374 |
| American Airlines | 61.6% | 74 min | 0.0% | 316 |
| Southwest Airlines | 53.9% | 61 min | 0.3% | 1,426 |
| Alaska Airlines | 51.2% | 55 min | 0.5% | 864 |
| Frontier Airlines | 49.5% | 66 min | 2.3% | 391 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly LAX to SFO
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 22,596 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 98.5% | 0.0% | 66 |
| 6am–7am | 95.4% | 0.9% | 1,879 |
| 7am–8am | 80.3% | 0.5% | 1,127 |
| 8am–9am | 54.7% | 0.9% | 1,588 |
| 9am–10am | 65.8% | 0.3% | 1,070 |
| 10am–11am | 63.4% | 0.5% | 1,680 |
| 11am–12pm | 70.9% | 0.8% | 1,024 |
| 12pm–1pm | 74.7% | 0.5% | 877 |
| 1pm–2pm | 73.0% | 0.6% | 1,629 |
| 2pm–3pm | 61.2% | 0.7% | 713 |
| 3pm–4pm | 73.0% | 0.0% | 610 |
| 4pm–5pm | 70.9% | 0.2% | 1,646 |
| 5pm–6pm | 76.8% | 0.5% | 1,480 |
| 6pm–7pm | 60.8% | 0.7% | 2,010 |
| 7pm–8pm | 62.0% | 0.4% | 1,627 |
| 8pm–9pm | 50.4% | 0.3% | 1,279 |
| 9pm–10pm | 67.1% | 0.3% | 1,328 |
| 10pm–11pm | 76.8% | 0.3% | 918 |
| 11pm–12am | 88.9% | 0.0% | 45 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on LAX to SFO
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) | 78.6% | +7.5 pts | 0.0% | 453 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 55.7% | -15.4 pts | 0.9% | 811 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 63.2% | -8.0 pts | 0.3% | 3,999 |
| All other days | 71.1% | — | 0.6% | 17,333 |
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).