Best Time to Fly DFW to SNA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Dallas/Fort Worth International → John Wayne Airport-Orange County
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 78.0% of Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Santa Ana (SNA) flights arrived on time (2,936 scheduled flights). That is in line with the national average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, American Airlines led with 78.1% on time and Frontier Airlines was last with 68.3%.
Over 24 months, Friday was the most reliable day (81% on time) and June the worst month (69%).
The cancellation rate was 2.8% (US average 1.8%).
DFW 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 78.1% | 60 min | 2.8% | 2,894 |
| Frontier Airlines | 68.3% | 77 min | 2.4% | 42 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DFW to SNA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 5,775 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7am–8am | 88.8% | 3.0% | 662 |
| 8am–9am | 83.9% | 1.1% | 788 |
| 9am–10am | 77.2% | 1.4% | 295 |
| 10am–11am | 75.3% | 1.9% | 699 |
| 12pm–1pm | 80.7% | 2.4% | 721 |
| 1pm–2pm | Limited data | 13 | |
| 2pm–3pm | 74.7% | 1.6% | 696 |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 14 | |
| 4pm–5pm | 77.4% | 2.4% | 575 |
| 5pm–6pm | 68.7% | 1.0% | 100 |
| 6pm–7pm | 71.0% | 3.4% | 507 |
| 7pm–8pm | 65.0% | 7.5% | 213 |
| 8pm–9pm | 80.6% | 4.1% | 171 |
| 9pm–10pm | 81.8% | 4.4% | 321 |
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 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) | 80.0% | -0.3 pts | 0.0% | 95 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 76.2% | -4.1 pts | 0.5% | 217 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 71.8% | -8.5 pts | 2.2% | 1,065 |
| All other days | 80.3% | — | 2.7% | 4,398 |
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).