Best Time to Fly DFW to SFO: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Dallas/Fort Worth International → San Francisco International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
4,179 flights were scheduled from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to San Francisco (SFO) in the last 12 months, and 60.9% of those that flew arrived on time, 16.7 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Among 3 airlines, United Airlines led with 70.4% on time and Frontier Airlines was last with 54.7%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (72% on time) and June the worst month (47%).
The cancellation rate was 2.4% (US average 1.8%).
DFW to SFO 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 | 70.4% | 82 min | 0.9% | 892 |
| American Airlines | 58.4% | 67 min | 2.7% | 3,071 |
| Frontier Airlines | 54.7% | 60 min | 4.5% | 199 |
| SkyWest Airlines | Limited data | 17 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DFW to SFO
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 8,318 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 17 | |
| 6am–7am | 87.7% | 0.0% | 261 |
| 7am–8am | 85.4% | 1.5% | 1,077 |
| 8am–9am | 76.6% | 1.0% | 415 |
| 9am–10am | 66.8% | 2.0% | 405 |
| 10am–11am | 75.8% | 0.0% | 66 |
| 11am–12pm | 63.5% | 1.9% | 728 |
| 12pm–1pm | 73.4% | 0.6% | 174 |
| 1pm–2pm | 68.8% | 1.1% | 531 |
| 2pm–3pm | 70.1% | 3.3% | 90 |
| 3pm–4pm | 65.3% | 1.9% | 540 |
| 4pm–5pm | 50.5% | 1.2% | 319 |
| 5pm–6pm | 59.1% | 1.8% | 719 |
| 6pm–7pm | 57.7% | 3.4% | 296 |
| 7pm–8pm | 60.5% | 2.1% | 964 |
| 8pm–9pm | 51.2% | 3.6% | 752 |
| 9pm–10pm | 54.9% | 3.5% | 520 |
| 10pm–11pm | 50.2% | 3.4% | 443 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 1 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DFW to SFO
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) | 73.9% | +5.5 pts | 0.0% | 157 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 55.0% | -13.4 pts | 2.1% | 336 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 52.9% | -15.5 pts | 2.1% | 1,563 |
| All other days | 68.4% | — | 2.1% | 6,262 |
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).