Best Time to Fly SFO to ATL: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Francisco International → Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
3,349 flights were scheduled from San Francisco (SFO) to Atlanta (ATL) in the last 12 months, and 80.4% of those that flew arrived on time, 2.7 points above the US average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 85.0%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 59.9%.
February has been the best month (89% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (77%).
0.9% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SFO to ATL 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 | 85.0% | 52 min | 0.2% | 637 |
| Delta Air Lines | 81.7% | 69 min | 0.7% | 2,406 |
| Frontier Airlines | 59.9% | 74 min | 3.6% | 306 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SFO to ATL
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 6,613 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12am–1am | Limited data | 16 | |
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 2 | |
| 6am–7am | 92.5% | 0.8% | 728 |
| 7am–8am | 89.2% | 0.6% | 544 |
| 8am–9am | 88.2% | 0.4% | 547 |
| 9am–10am | 85.4% | 0.0% | 212 |
| 10am–11am | 84.5% | 0.5% | 202 |
| 11am–12pm | 82.6% | 0.2% | 541 |
| 12pm–1pm | 82.8% | 0.9% | 217 |
| 1pm–2pm | 77.9% | 0.3% | 372 |
| 2pm–3pm | 74.8% | 0.0% | 346 |
| 3pm–4pm | 86.3% | 0.4% | 227 |
| 4pm–5pm | 63.9% | 0.0% | 36 |
| 9pm–10pm | 79.7% | 0.5% | 640 |
| 10pm–11pm | 71.9% | 1.4% | 1,187 |
| 11pm–12am | 72.5% | 1.4% | 796 |
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 ATL
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) | 85.7% | +2.8 pts | 0.0% | 133 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 74.4% | -8.5 pts | 1.9% | 260 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 73.1% | -9.8 pts | 0.8% | 1,269 |
| All other days | 82.9% | — | 0.7% | 4,951 |
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).