Best Time to Fly SFO to SBA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Francisco International → Santa Barbara Municipal
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
1,639 flights were scheduled from San Francisco (SFO) to Santa Barbara (SBA) in the last 12 months, and 79.4% of those that flew arrived on time, 1.8 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, United Airlines led with 81.2% on time and SkyWest Airlines was last with 76.6%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (89% on time) and July the worst month (75%).
The cancellation rate was 1.2% (US average 1.8%).
SFO to SBA 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 | 81.2% | 56 min | 0.6% | 1,002 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 76.6% | 79 min | 2.2% | 637 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SFO to SBA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,033 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8am–9am | 85.8% | 1.3% | 301 |
| 10am–11am | 86.1% | 0.1% | 730 |
| 12pm–1pm | Limited data | 5 | |
| 1pm–2pm | 75.9% | 1.2% | 164 |
| 2pm–3pm | 71.4% | 2.3% | 43 |
| 4pm–5pm | 78.5% | 1.7% | 592 |
| 5pm–6pm | Limited data | 21 | |
| 6pm–7pm | 85.2% | 0.6% | 315 |
| 7pm–8pm | Limited data | 4 | |
| 8pm–9pm | 83.2% | 0.8% | 132 |
| 9pm–10pm | 78.9% | 0.4% | 267 |
| 10pm–11pm | 78.5% | 2.0% | 459 |
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 SBA
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% | -8.6 pts | 0.0% | 60 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 64.8% | -18.9 pts | 6.3% | 95 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 77.4% | -6.2 pts | 0.9% | 539 |
| All other days | 83.6% | — | 0.9% | 2,339 |
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).