Delta vs SkyWest: On-Time Performance Compared

Last 12 months · Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026

Delta was more punctual than SkyWest over the last 12 months: 81.5% of its flights arrived on time, against 79.0%.

Delta cancelled fewer flights (1.7% vs 1.8%), and late flights averaged 71 minutes late on Delta vs 88 on SkyWest.

On the 166 routes both airlines fly regularly, Delta had the better on-time record on 100 and SkyWest on 66.

Delta vs SkyWest: key numbers

Last 12 months, all flights each airline operated.

DeltaSkyWest

On-time arrivals81.5%79.0%

On-time departures81.9%80.9%

Cancelled1.7%1.8%

Diverted0.3%0.3%

On-time arrival % each month, last 24 months.

DeltaSkyWest

70%75%80%85%90%95%

Aug ’24Nov ’24Feb ’25May ’25Aug ’25Nov ’25Feb ’26May ’26

Share of each airline’s reported delay minutes by cause, last 12 months.

DeltaSkyWest

Airline (carrier)44.7%47.0%

Weather4.1%14.0%

Air traffic system (NAS)21.6%17.2%

Security0.1%0.1%

Late-arriving aircraft29.5%21.7%

166 routes where each airline had at least 100 completed flights in the last 12 months; the 25 busiest are shown. Better on-time rate in bold.

Route	Delta on time	SkyWest on time	Delta flights	SkyWest flights
LAX → SFO	62.9%	69.2%	2,374	2,573
SFO → LAX	72.1%	75.3%	2,374	2,568
PDX → SEA	87.9%	86.1%	281	3,504
ORD → DTW	78.3%	64.7%	1,210	2,531
DTW → ORD	71.7%	68.9%	1,210	2,530
SEA → PDX	75.4%	86.0%	280	3,377
SEA → LAX	83.1%	85.5%	2,226	1,237
LAX → SEA	86.4%	84.0%	2,225	1,234
SEA → GEG	71.6%	87.8%	343	2,956
GEG → SEA	93.8%	88.0%	343	2,918
SLC → LAX	85.1%	90.3%	2,455	721
LAX → SLC	88.6%	89.2%	2,452	721
DEN → SLC	83.4%	80.5%	1,696	1,399
SLC → DEN	80.9%	85.3%	1,696	1,394
PHX → SLC	90.2%	82.4%	1,709	1,209
SLC → PHX	88.0%	85.8%	1,709	1,209
LAX → PHX	83.9%	87.2%	150	2,638
PHX → LAX	94.0%	89.8%	150	2,638
SFO → SLC	77.4%	76.8%	1,709	1,044
SLC → SFO	64.0%	66.3%	1,707	1,045
SLC → SEA	82.9%	76.8%	2,230	388
SEA → SLC	86.8%	80.1%	2,227	387
SJC → LAX	92.2%	92.3%	555	1,953
LAX → SJC	86.5%	91.0%	556	1,949
SAN → SLC	89.0%	78.6%	1,733	749