Best Time to Fly SFO to EWR: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Francisco International → Newark Liberty International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
4,371 flights were scheduled from San Francisco (SFO) to Newark (EWR) in the last 12 months, and 76.9% of those that flew arrived on time, 0.7 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, Alaska Airlines led with 88.0% on time and United Airlines was last with 75.3%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (82% on time) and July the worst month (65%).
The cancellation rate was 2.0% (US average 1.8%).
SFO to EWR 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | 88.0% | 58 min | 0.9% | 549 |
| United Airlines | 75.3% | 81 min | 2.2% | 3,822 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SFO to EWR
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 8,736 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12am–1am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 1am–2am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 6am–7am | 85.0% | 3.0% | 433 |
| 7am–8am | 87.9% | 1.2% | 1,096 |
| 8am–9am | 81.4% | 1.5% | 653 |
| 9am–10am | 65.3% | 1.1% | 283 |
| 10am–11am | 67.1% | 1.4% | 705 |
| 11am–12pm | 68.0% | 1.8% | 573 |
| 12pm–1pm | 67.2% | 0.8% | 253 |
| 1pm–2pm | 58.7% | 2.9% | 663 |
| 2pm–3pm | 68.5% | 1.3% | 550 |
| 3pm–4pm | 70.5% | 2.1% | 189 |
| 4pm–5pm | 72.7% | 1.6% | 628 |
| 9pm–10pm | 83.5% | 1.7% | 1,086 |
| 10pm–11pm | 82.8% | 1.9% | 849 |
| 11pm–12am | 76.0% | 2.5% | 773 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SFO to EWR
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) | 77.8% | -0.2 pts | 1.1% | 174 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 70.5% | -7.5 pts | 1.1% | 357 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 67.7% | -10.3 pts | 3.6% | 1,516 |
| All other days | 78.0% | — | 1.4% | 6,689 |
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).