Best Time to Fly SNA to SEA: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
John Wayne Airport-Orange County → Seattle/Tacoma International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 85.5% of Santa Ana (SNA) to Seattle (SEA) flights arrived on time (3,956 scheduled flights). That is 7.9 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Among 3 airlines, Alaska Airlines led with 87.6% on time and Delta Air Lines was last with 81.2%.
Over 24 months, Wednesday was the most reliable day (89% on time) and June the worst month (75%).
The cancellation rate was 1.0% (US average 1.8%).
SNA to SEA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | 87.6% | 49 min | 1.1% | 2,578 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 82.4% | 46 min | 0.5% | 436 |
| Delta Air Lines | 81.2% | 77 min | 1.3% | 942 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SNA to SEA
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 7,884 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 90.8% | 1.9% | 595 |
| 7am–8am | 86.8% | 0.0% | 745 |
| 8am–9am | 90.0% | 1.0% | 789 |
| 9am–10am | Limited data | 28 | |
| 10am–11am | 89.2% | 0.4% | 717 |
| 11am–12pm | 86.1% | 1.8% | 963 |
| 12pm–1pm | 89.0% | 0.3% | 327 |
| 1pm–2pm | 75.5% | 0.4% | 234 |
| 2pm–3pm | 81.7% | 0.5% | 395 |
| 3pm–4pm | 82.5% | 0.7% | 721 |
| 4pm–5pm | 76.1% | 0.0% | 185 |
| 5pm–6pm | 80.9% | 1.3% | 768 |
| 6pm–7pm | 73.2% | 0.6% | 507 |
| 7pm–8pm | 75.4% | 1.4% | 554 |
| 8pm–9pm | 91.9% | 2.4% | 165 |
| 9pm–10pm | 93.8% | 6.3% | 191 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SNA to SEA
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) | 86.8% | +0.6 pts | 0.7% | 153 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 83.1% | -3.2 pts | 2.0% | 296 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 77.2% | -9.1 pts | 1.0% | 1,488 |
| All other days | 86.2% | — | 1.1% | 5,947 |
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).