Best Time to Fly SBA to SFO: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Santa Barbara Municipal → San Francisco International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
1,640 flights were scheduled from Santa Barbara (SBA) to San Francisco (SFO) in the last 12 months, and 62.5% of those that flew arrived on time, 15.1 points below the US average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 67.3%, while SkyWest Airlines trailed at 54.8%.
January has been the best month (85% on time) and Monday the weakest day of the week (65%).
1.2% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SBA to SFO 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 | 67.3% | 70 min | 0.7% | 1,002 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 54.8% | 71 min | 1.9% | 638 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SBA to SFO
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,033 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 87.9% | 1.2% | 720 |
| 7am–8am | Limited data | 21 | |
| 8am–9am | 38.4% | 1.0% | 208 |
| 9am–10am | 39.5% | 0.0% | 124 |
| 10am–11am | 69.7% | 1.4% | 367 |
| 1pm–2pm | 42.9% | 0.0% | 91 |
| 2pm–3pm | 70.0% | 0.5% | 636 |
| 3pm–4pm | 75.9% | 0.0% | 54 |
| 4pm–5pm | 78.5% | 2.0% | 152 |
| 6pm–7pm | 67.8% | 2.3% | 391 |
| 7pm–8pm | 79.2% | 0.8% | 126 |
| 8pm–9pm | 31.0% | 0.7% | 143 |
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 SFO
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) | 59.0% | -11.6 pts | 0.0% | 61 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 66.7% | -3.9 pts | 5.3% | 95 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 61.7% | -8.9 pts | 1.1% | 539 |
| All other days | 70.6% | — | 0.9% | 2,338 |
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).