Best Time to Fly DEN to SBA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Denver International → Santa Barbara Municipal
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
1,073 flights were scheduled from Denver (DEN) to Santa Barbara (SBA) in the last 12 months, and 73.5% of those that flew arrived on time, 4.2 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, United Airlines led with 75.8% on time and Southwest Airlines was last with 66.8%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (80% on time) and July the worst month (61%).
The cancellation rate was 0.3% (US average 1.8%).
DEN to SBA 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 | 75.8% | 54 min | 0.2% | 797 |
| Southwest Airlines | 66.8% | 57 min | 0.4% | 276 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DEN to SBA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,976 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 9am–10am | 82.0% | 0.0% | 39 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 16 | |
| 11am–12pm | 83.3% | 0.0% | 732 |
| 12pm–1pm | Limited data | 18 | |
| 1pm–2pm | 85.3% | 1.7% | 118 |
| 2pm–3pm | 80.2% | 0.0% | 81 |
| 3pm–4pm | 77.2% | 1.9% | 104 |
| 7pm–8pm | 69.3% | 1.0% | 708 |
| 8pm–9pm | 54.5% | 1.6% | 126 |
| 9pm–10pm | 60.6% | 0.0% | 34 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DEN to SBA
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) | 80.7% | +1.5 pts | 0.0% | 32 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 75.8% | -3.4 pts | 2.8% | 71 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 62.1% | -17.0 pts | 2.2% | 400 |
| All other days | 79.2% | — | 0.1% | 1,473 |
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).