Best Time to Fly DEN to SNA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Denver International → John Wayne Airport-Orange County
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
3,685 flights were scheduled from Denver (DEN) to Santa Ana (SNA) in the last 12 months, and 80.9% of those that flew arrived on time, 3.3 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Among 3 airlines, Frontier Airlines led with 88.5% on time and Southwest Airlines was last with 73.3%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (83% on time) and June the worst month (68%).
The cancellation rate was 0.3% (US average 1.8%).
DEN to SNA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlines | 88.5% | 61 min | 0.4% | 280 |
| United Airlines | 86.1% | 48 min | 0.4% | 1,869 |
| Southwest Airlines | 73.3% | 43 min | 0.1% | 1,536 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DEN to SNA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 7,285 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 93.5% | 0.0% | 31 |
| 7am–8am | 90.1% | 0.0% | 694 |
| 8am–9am | 91.0% | 0.0% | 678 |
| 9am–10am | 85.8% | 0.6% | 541 |
| 10am–11am | 84.5% | 0.0% | 227 |
| 11am–12pm | 84.4% | 0.3% | 1,022 |
| 12pm–1pm | 84.5% | 0.0% | 174 |
| 1pm–2pm | 82.8% | 0.0% | 541 |
| 2pm–3pm | 72.6% | 0.0% | 281 |
| 3pm–4pm | 85.4% | 0.2% | 460 |
| 4pm–5pm | 72.6% | 0.2% | 439 |
| 5pm–6pm | 67.7% | 0.4% | 227 |
| 6pm–7pm | 60.6% | 1.2% | 254 |
| 7pm–8pm | 74.9% | 0.3% | 905 |
| 8pm–9pm | 73.1% | 1.0% | 811 |
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 SNA
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) | 81.7% | -1.4 pts | 0.0% | 131 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 79.7% | -3.3 pts | 0.3% | 299 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 71.2% | -11.8 pts | 0.6% | 1,350 |
| All other days | 83.1% | — | 0.2% | 5,505 |
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).