Best Time to Fly ATL to SFO: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International → San Francisco International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
3,352 flights were scheduled from Atlanta (ATL) to San Francisco (SFO) in the last 12 months, and 69.9% of those that flew arrived on time, 7.7 points below the US average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 76.7%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 65.1%.
October has been the best month (80% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (64%).
0.7% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
ATL 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 | 76.7% | 67 min | 0.5% | 637 |
| Delta Air Lines | 68.7% | 55 min | 0.7% | 2,409 |
| Frontier Airlines | 65.1% | 62 min | 1.3% | 306 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly ATL to SFO
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 6,619 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 87.7% | 0.8% | 131 |
| 7am–8am | 83.5% | 0.0% | 557 |
| 8am–9am | 80.3% | 0.7% | 740 |
| 9am–10am | 67.3% | 0.0% | 276 |
| 10am–11am | 75.1% | 0.3% | 382 |
| 11am–12pm | 73.1% | 0.6% | 183 |
| 12pm–1pm | 77.1% | 0.3% | 334 |
| 1pm–2pm | 84.4% | 0.0% | 32 |
| 2pm–3pm | 70.9% | 0.0% | 196 |
| 3pm–4pm | 69.6% | 1.0% | 510 |
| 4pm–5pm | 67.4% | 0.5% | 385 |
| 5pm–6pm | 74.7% | 0.4% | 524 |
| 6pm–7pm | 68.2% | 0.6% | 721 |
| 7pm–8pm | 59.1% | 1.3% | 620 |
| 8pm–9pm | 62.2% | 0.8% | 493 |
| 9pm–10pm | 74.7% | 1.1% | 368 |
| 10pm–11pm | 66.5% | 1.8% | 167 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on ATL 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) | 66.2% | -8.3 pts | 0.0% | 133 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 63.0% | -11.4 pts | 1.1% | 260 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 64.6% | -9.9 pts | 0.6% | 1,269 |
| All other days | 74.5% | — | 0.6% | 4,957 |
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).