Best Time to Fly MSP to SAN: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Minneapolis-St Paul International → San Diego International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
1,303 flights were scheduled from Minneapolis (MSP) to San Diego (SAN) in the last 12 months, and 78.3% of those that flew arrived on time, 0.7 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Delta Air Lines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
Over 24 months, Wednesday was the most reliable day (83% on time) and December the worst month (64%).
The cancellation rate was 0.8% (US average 1.8%).
MSP 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 78.3% | 46 min | 0.8% | 1,303 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly MSP to SAN
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 2,630 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8am–9am | 80.9% | 0.5% | 411 |
| 9am–10am | 83.0% | 0.3% | 319 |
| 10am–11am | 84.6% | 0.0% | 39 |
| 11am–12pm | 80.8% | 0.1% | 683 |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 8 | |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 24 | |
| 6pm–7pm | 76.9% | 0.1% | 647 |
| 7pm–8pm | 59.7% | 1.2% | 81 |
| 9pm–10pm | 72.5% | 1.2% | 418 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on MSP 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) | 66.0% | -16.1 pts | 0.0% | 50 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 45.8% | -36.3 pts | 0.9% | 110 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 71.6% | -10.4 pts | 0.7% | 462 |
| All other days | 82.1% | — | 0.3% | 2,008 |
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).