Best Time to Fly SBA to DEN: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Santa Barbara Municipal → Denver International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
1,073 flights were scheduled from Santa Barbara (SBA) to Denver (DEN) in the last 12 months, and 84.3% of those that flew arrived on time, 6.7 points above the US average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 84.7%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 83.2%.
October has been the best month (92% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (81%).
0.7% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SBA to DEN 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 | 84.7% | 68 min | 0.6% | 797 |
| Southwest Airlines | 83.2% | 53 min | 0.7% | 276 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SBA to DEN
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,976 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 93.6% | 1.2% | 748 |
| 6am–7am | 95.0% | 0.0% | 119 |
| 7am–8am | Limited data | 2 | |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 18 | |
| 11am–12pm | 86.3% | 1.9% | 52 |
| 12pm–1pm | 69.2% | 1.1% | 174 |
| 1pm–2pm | 81.2% | 0.3% | 631 |
| 2pm–3pm | Limited data | 24 | |
| 3pm–4pm | 58.1% | 1.6% | 63 |
| 4pm–5pm | 52.2% | 6.1% | 49 |
| 6pm–7pm | 75.0% | 3.2% | 95 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SBA to DEN
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) | 75.0% | -10.7 pts | 0.0% | 32 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 81.8% | -3.9 pts | 7.0% | 71 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 78.8% | -6.9 pts | 2.5% | 400 |
| All other days | 85.7% | — | 0.4% | 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).