Best Time to Fly SFO to JFK: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Francisco International → John F. Kennedy International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 79.8% of San Francisco (SFO) to New York (JFK) flights arrived on time (6,769 scheduled flights). That is 2.2 points above the national average of 77.6%.
American Airlines was the most punctual of the 4 airlines on the route at 80.6%, while Delta Air Lines trailed at 79.0%.
October has been the best month (87% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (76%).
2.2% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SFO to JFK 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 | 80.6% | 121 min | 2.9% | 1,475 |
| JetBlue | 80.5% | 79 min | 2.0% | 1,955 |
| Alaska Airlines | 79.1% | 54 min | 1.9% | 1,107 |
| Delta Air Lines | 79.0% | 68 min | 2.1% | 2,232 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SFO to JFK
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 13,367 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 11 | |
| 6am–7am | 89.7% | 1.2% | 1,203 |
| 7am–8am | 90.2% | 1.1% | 1,584 |
| 8am–9am | 83.7% | 3.5% | 482 |
| 9am–10am | 80.6% | 1.2% | 1,167 |
| 10am–11am | 79.3% | 1.1% | 921 |
| 11am–12pm | 75.4% | 1.5% | 923 |
| 12pm–1pm | 74.0% | 2.5% | 630 |
| 1pm–2pm | 66.8% | 1.4% | 1,555 |
| 2pm–3pm | 74.0% | 2.4% | 635 |
| 3pm–4pm | 82.1% | 1.5% | 392 |
| 4pm–5pm | 76.5% | 1.1% | 618 |
| 5pm–6pm | Limited data | 1 | |
| 8pm–9pm | 84.5% | 0.6% | 325 |
| 9pm–10pm | 85.1% | 1.1% | 526 |
| 10pm–11pm | 85.5% | 1.6% | 1,879 |
| 11pm–12am | 68.4% | 1.6% | 515 |
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 JFK
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) | 88.5% | +6.1 pts | 0.4% | 255 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 73.0% | -9.4 pts | 2.6% | 464 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 71.7% | -10.7 pts | 3.4% | 2,413 |
| All other days | 82.4% | — | 1.1% | 10,235 |
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).