Alaska vs United: On-Time Performance Compared

Last 12 months · Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026

Over the last 12 months 79.6% of Alaska flights arrived on time, compared with 79.3% for United.

United cancelled fewer flights (1.0% vs 1.2%), and late flights averaged 52 minutes late on Alaska vs 71 on United.

On the 72 routes both airlines fly regularly, Alaska had the better on-time record on 17 and United on 55.

Alaska vs United: key numbers

Last 12 months, all flights each airline operated.

AlaskaUnited

On-time arrivals79.6%79.3%

On-time departures79.9%81.4%

Cancelled1.2%1.0%

Diverted0.3%0.3%

On-time arrival % each month, last 24 months.

AlaskaUnited

70%80%90%

Aug ’24Nov ’24Feb ’25May ’25Aug ’25Nov ’25Feb ’26May ’26

Share of each airline’s reported delay minutes by cause, last 12 months.

AlaskaUnited

Airline (carrier)33.1%25.6%

Weather4.4%4.2%

Air traffic system (NAS)24.1%34.0%

Security0.4%0.0%

Late-arriving aircraft37.9%36.2%

72 routes where each airline had at least 100 completed flights in the last 12 months; the 25 busiest are shown. Better on-time rate in bold.

Route	Alaska on time	United on time	Alaska flights	United flights
SFO → SEA	69.7%	75.5%	2,713	2,053
SEA → SFO	57.8%	62.2%	2,710	2,052
EWR → SFO	77.5%	68.3%	548	3,825
SFO → EWR	88.0%	75.3%	549	3,822
SFO → LAX	68.1%	78.5%	862	3,297
LAX → SFO	51.2%	64.4%	864	3,291
EWR → LAX	73.5%	72.6%	522	3,539
LAX → EWR	90.6%	78.5%	521	3,538
LAS → SFO	64.8%	65.1%	1,114	2,793
SFO → LAS	75.2%	78.6%	1,114	2,793
LAX → SEA	85.3%	87.0%	3,287	394
SEA → LAX	80.7%	89.8%	3,289	392
SEA → DEN	77.9%	88.1%	1,551	1,908
DEN → SEA	74.9%	80.7%	1,551	1,906
ORD → SEA	67.0%	74.9%	1,796	1,504
SEA → ORD	72.8%	80.3%	1,791	1,503
PDX → SFO	69.6%	65.9%	1,379	1,716
SFO → PDX	78.9%	80.5%	1,379	1,716
SFO → SAN	86.7%	74.9%	304	2,633
SAN → SFO	51.8%	69.0%	303	2,633
DEN → SAN	83.6%	79.5%	495	2,074
SAN → DEN	85.3%	86.1%	495	2,074
ORD → SAN	68.7%	77.6%	777	1,673
SAN → ORD	72.0%	81.3%	777	1,673
DEN → PDX	80.2%	82.5%	612	1,825