Best Time to Fly EWR to SAN: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Newark Liberty International → San Diego International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 80.2% of Newark (EWR) to San Diego (SAN) flights arrived on time (1,560 scheduled flights). That is 2.5 points above the national average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 80.7%, while Alaska Airlines trailed at 78.0%.
March has been the best month (89% on time) and Thursday the weakest day of the week (74%).
2.1% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
EWR to SAN 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 | 80.7% | 61 min | 1.7% | 1,232 |
| Alaska Airlines | 78.0% | 62 min | 3.7% | 328 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly EWR to SAN
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,123 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 92.0% | 1.3% | 537 |
| 7am–8am | 87.0% | 0.5% | 185 |
| 8am–9am | 87.0% | 0.0% | 93 |
| 9am–10am | 78.8% | 1.2% | 406 |
| 10am–11am | 82.9% | 0.0% | 211 |
| 11am–12pm | Limited data | 17 | |
| 12pm–1pm | Limited data | 1 | |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 27 | |
| 4pm–5pm | 74.3% | 3.3% | 718 |
| 5pm–6pm | 71.3% | 1.1% | 268 |
| 6pm–7pm | 70.5% | 4.0% | 325 |
| 7pm–8pm | 67.7% | 4.6% | 108 |
| 8pm–9pm | 59.4% | 2.2% | 223 |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 4 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on EWR to SAN
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) | 72.0% | -8.9 pts | 0.0% | 51 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 60.2% | -20.7 pts | 2.5% | 120 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 69.8% | -11.0 pts | 4.6% | 612 |
| All other days | 80.9% | — | 1.4% | 2,340 |
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).