Best Time to Fly ORD to SFO: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Chicago O'Hare International → San Francisco International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 67.6% of Chicago (ORD) to San Francisco (SFO) flights arrived on time (5,616 scheduled flights). That is 10.1 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, United Airlines led with 69.9% on time and American Airlines was last with 62.5%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (78% on time) and June the worst month (64%).
The cancellation rate was 1.3% (US average 1.8%).
ORD 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 69.9% | 75 min | 1.1% | 3,828 |
| American Airlines | 62.5% | 74 min | 1.8% | 1,769 |
| Alaska Airlines | Limited data | 19 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly ORD to SFO
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 10,821 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 90.4% | 1.1% | 1,034 |
| 7am–8am | 89.3% | 1.2% | 571 |
| 8am–9am | 75.7% | 0.8% | 1,110 |
| 9am–10am | 70.1% | 1.2% | 403 |
| 10am–11am | 72.1% | 1.3% | 784 |
| 11am–12pm | 74.5% | 1.1% | 274 |
| 12pm–1pm | 78.5% | 0.2% | 884 |
| 1pm–2pm | 63.6% | 1.5% | 67 |
| 2pm–3pm | 77.8% | 1.0% | 725 |
| 3pm–4pm | 73.0% | 0.3% | 742 |
| 4pm–5pm | 71.1% | 0.9% | 783 |
| 5pm–6pm | 65.0% | 1.1% | 527 |
| 6pm–7pm | 57.3% | 1.2% | 967 |
| 7pm–8pm | 58.5% | 1.1% | 723 |
| 8pm–9pm | 54.4% | 1.6% | 550 |
| 9pm–10pm | 64.9% | 1.8% | 619 |
| 10pm–11pm | 78.8% | 3.7% | 54 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 4 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on ORD 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) | 63.7% | -10.9 pts | 6.8% | 192 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 62.9% | -11.7 pts | 0.2% | 419 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 65.1% | -9.5 pts | 2.1% | 2,122 |
| All other days | 74.6% | — | 0.7% | 8,088 |
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).