Best Time to Fly SFO to RDU: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Francisco International → Raleigh-Durham International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
887 flights were scheduled from San Francisco (SFO) to Raleigh/Durham (RDU) in the last 12 months, and 90.0% of those that flew arrived on time, 12.4 points above the US average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (95% on time) and July the worst month (83%).
The cancellation rate was 0.5% (US average 1.8%).
SFO to RDU 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 | 90.0% | 60 min | 0.5% | 887 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SFO to RDU
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,633 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7am–8am | 99.2% | 0.0% | 120 |
| 8am–9am | 90.4% | 0.7% | 139 |
| 9am–10am | 90.5% | 0.3% | 384 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 3 | |
| 12pm–1pm | 94.4% | 0.0% | 71 |
| 1pm–2pm | 90.8% | 1.1% | 175 |
| 4pm–5pm | Limited data | 25 | |
| 7pm–8pm | Limited data | 1 | |
| 8pm–9pm | 90.0% | 0.0% | 90 |
| 9pm–10pm | 86.0% | 0.0% | 143 |
| 10pm–11pm | 91.1% | 0.0% | 146 |
| 11pm–12am | 84.7% | 0.3% | 336 |
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 RDU
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) | 94.3% | +3.2 pts | 0.0% | 35 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 84.1% | -7.0 pts | 0.0% | 88 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 83.4% | -7.7 pts | 0.6% | 313 |
| All other days | 91.1% | — | 0.2% | 1,197 |
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).