SkyWest 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 79.3% of United flights arrived on time, compared with 79.0% for SkyWest.

United cancelled fewer flights (1.0% vs 1.8%), and late flights averaged 88 minutes late on SkyWest vs 71 on United.

On the 266 routes both airlines fly regularly, SkyWest had the better on-time record on 118 and United on 148.

SkyWest vs United: key numbers

Last 12 months, all flights each airline operated.

SkyWestUnited

On-time arrivals79.0%79.3%

On-time departures80.9%81.4%

Cancelled1.8%1.0%

Diverted0.3%0.3%

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

SkyWestUnited

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.

SkyWestUnited

Airline (carrier)47.0%25.6%

Weather14.0%4.2%

Air traffic system (NAS)17.2%34.0%

Security0.1%0.0%

Late-arriving aircraft21.7%36.2%

266 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	SkyWest on time	United on time	SkyWest flights	United flights
SFO → LAX	75.3%	78.5%	2,568	3,297
LAX → SFO	69.2%	64.4%	2,573	3,291
SNA → SFO	68.8%	65.3%	3,575	1,012
SFO → SNA	78.5%	83.2%	3,515	1,012
LAX → DEN	81.7%	87.8%	1,200	3,079
DEN → LAX	79.3%	84.3%	1,200	3,077
SAN → SFO	65.2%	69.0%	1,517	2,633
SFO → SAN	63.5%	74.9%	1,477	2,633
COS → DEN	83.0%	74.0%	3,300	579
DEN → COS	76.8%	79.2%	3,300	579
IAH → LAX	79.5%	84.9%	408	3,439
LAX → IAH	83.0%	87.5%	408	3,438
LAX → SMF	87.5%	83.5%	3,509	201
SMF → LAX	89.7%	91.5%	3,509	201
DTW → ORD	68.9%	72.0%	2,530	806
ORD → DTW	64.7%	72.6%	2,531	805
ORD → MSP	67.6%	70.0%	759	2,378
MSP → ORD	66.9%	70.0%	761	2,375
SFO → SEA	70.3%	75.5%	1,073	2,053
SEA → SFO	71.9%	62.2%	1,071	2,052
ORD → CLE	68.4%	73.0%	919	2,141
CLE → ORD	71.2%	76.9%	919	2,139
LAX → PHX	87.2%	87.9%	2,638	282
PHX → LAX	89.8%	86.7%	2,638	282
ORD → BNA	62.1%	70.6%	1,461	1,439