Best Time to Fly SFO to SNA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Francisco International → John Wayne Airport-Orange County
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
4,716 flights were scheduled from San Francisco (SFO) to Santa Ana (SNA) in the last 12 months, and 79.1% of those that flew arrived on time, 1.4 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Among 4 airlines, United Airlines led with 83.2% on time and Alaska Airlines was last with 60.5%.
Over 24 months, Saturday was the most reliable day (87% on time) and July the worst month (70%).
The cancellation rate was 1.3% (US average 1.8%).
SFO to SNA 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 | 83.2% | 54 min | 0.5% | 1,012 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 78.5% | 60 min | 1.6% | 3,515 |
| Frontier Airlines | 69.3% | 77 min | 0.7% | 151 |
| Alaska Airlines | 60.5% | 56 min | 0.0% | 38 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SFO to SNA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 9,164 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 94.2% | 2.1% | 143 |
| 7am–8am | 91.2% | 0.6% | 896 |
| 8am–9am | 87.8% | 0.7% | 464 |
| 9am–10am | 81.7% | 0.7% | 704 |
| 10am–11am | 78.1% | 0.2% | 1,041 |
| 11am–12pm | 79.4% | 0.5% | 400 |
| 12pm–1pm | 73.2% | 0.8% | 534 |
| 1pm–2pm | 77.5% | 1.0% | 1,034 |
| 2pm–3pm | 69.3% | 0.7% | 282 |
| 3pm–4pm | 76.1% | 1.6% | 695 |
| 4pm–5pm | 72.7% | 1.4% | 735 |
| 5pm–6pm | 77.5% | 1.4% | 567 |
| 6pm–7pm | 72.8% | 1.8% | 401 |
| 7pm–8pm | 88.9% | 0.6% | 803 |
| 8pm–9pm | 83.6% | 7.2% | 457 |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 8 | |
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 SNA
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) | 83.2% | +1.1 pts | 0.0% | 190 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 64.2% | -17.8 pts | 5.1% | 352 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 74.8% | -7.2 pts | 0.8% | 1,558 |
| All other days | 82.1% | — | 1.1% | 7,064 |
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).