Route on-time record
DEN to SFO: most on-time flights and the best time to fly
Denver (Denver International Airport) to San Francisco (San Francisco International Airport). 5,391 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 68% arrived within 15 minutes and 0.5% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was United 2367 at 5:20 AM.
Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.
DEN → SFO
Denver to San Francisco: 5,391 nonstop flights a year
On time (12 months)
68%
Cancelled
0.5%
avg delay 21 min
Best time to leave
Before 9 AM
80% on time vs 50% 6 to 9 PM
Most reliable airline
United
73% chance on time
Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $100 (Frontier 1229 on 2026-11-24). Fares open on our travel partner (Aviasales). Pick the flight number you chose here.
Most reliable nonstop flights
Ranked by the chance the flight operates and arrives within 15 minutes of schedule, from Jun 2025 to May 2026 records.
#1 · United 2367
5:20 AM → 7:05 AM2h 50m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as United 275; its record covers all of them.
95%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 95%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 3 min
- Arrived on time 95% of the time (340 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 340 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 80% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 50%).
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 340 flights
Find United 2367 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#2 · United 694
6:00 AM → 7:38 AM2h 38m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
92%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 100%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 2 min
- Arrived on time 100% of the time (11 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 80% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 50%).
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Lands inside SFO's trouble window: 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started between 7 AM and 1 PM.
Limited track record · 11 flights
Find United 694 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#3 · United 2633
3:55 PM → 5:46 PM2h 51m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
77%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 78%
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Avg arrival delay
- 18 min
- Arrived on time 78% of the time (360 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs inside DEN's trouble window: 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
Strong track record · 360 flights
Find United 2633 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#4 · United 1561
11:21 AM → 1:15 PM2h 54m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
76%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 76%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 12 min
- Arrived on time 76% of the time (297 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 297 scheduled flights.
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 297 flights
Find United 1561 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#5 · United 1812
1:40 PM → 3:32 PM2h 52m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
76%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 77%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 17 min
- Arrived on time 77% of the time (311 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 311 scheduled flights.
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 311 flights
Find United 1812 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#6 · Frontier 1229
9:52 AM → 11:47 AM2h 55m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
76%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 80%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 14 min
- Arrived on time 80% of the time (146 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 146 scheduled flights.
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Lands inside SFO's trouble window: 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started between 7 AM and 1 PM.
Moderate track record · 146 flights
Find Frontier 1229 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#7 · United 2391
7:45 AM → 9:30 AM2h 51m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
73%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 74%
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Avg arrival delay
- 14 min
- Arrived on time 74% of the time (248 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 80% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 50%).
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Lands inside SFO's trouble window: 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started between 7 AM and 1 PM.
Strong track record · 248 flights
Find United 2391 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#8 · United 2070
4:56 PM → 6:46 PM2h 50m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.
73%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 67%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 16 min
- Arrived on time 67% of the time (21 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs inside DEN's trouble window: 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- Short track record (21 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 21 flights
Find United 2070 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#9 · United 1007
5:57 PM → 7:50 PM2h 53m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
68%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 68%
- Cancelled
- 1.3%
- Avg arrival delay
- 29 min
- Arrived on time 68% of the time (308 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs inside DEN's trouble window: 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
Strong track record · 308 flights
Find United 1007 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#10 · Frontier 3439
10:29 PM → 12:28 AM2h 58m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
67%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 68%
- Cancelled
- 2.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 19 min
- Arrived on time 68% of the time (250 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside DEN's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 79% of its 174 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 250 flights
Find Frontier 3439 fares Opens this date on Aviasales
Airlines on this route
Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.
- United Airlines73%
3,367 flights · 73% on time as flown · 0.4% cancel
- Frontier Airlines70%
565 flights · 71% on time as flown · 0.8% cancel
- Southwest Airlines56%
1,459 flights · 56% on time as flown · 0.6% cancel
On time by departure time
All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Before 9 AM80%
1,151 flights · avg delay 12 min
- 9 AM to noon70%
918 flights · avg delay 16 min
- Noon to 3 PM73%
613 flights · avg delay 17 min
- 3 to 6 PM71%
958 flights · avg delay 21 min
- 6 to 9 PM50%
921 flights · avg delay 37 min
- After 9 PM62%
830 flights · avg delay 23 min
Best day: Tuesday (76%). Worst: Thursday (65%).
Smarter routing
Nearby airports that run more on time
DEN → SJC 74% chance on time
Denver International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport · 2,599 flights a year · 30 mi from your airports · yours: 68%
On time by month
All airlines, Jun 2023 to May 2026. Several years per month, so one stormy season doesn't define a month. Travel-month estimates use this seasonal pattern.
What delays this route
- Air traffic control and airport volume39%
- Late-arriving aircraft38%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)22%
- Severe weather2%
Share of delay minutes by the cause airlines report to the US DOT.
Historical odds, not a guarantee. Built from the US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics on-time reports (Jun 2025 to May 2026), FAA ground stop and delay program advisories, and 20 years of airport weather observations. Covers US airlines that report to the DOT; schedules are flights operated recently, so confirm times when you book. ATIS Alerts is not affiliated with any airline. Fares are what Aviasales travelers saw in recent searches (USD, one way, 1 adult), not live quotes; the partner site shows the current price. Fare links go to our travel partner and may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Affiliate disclosure
DEN to SFO questions
- What time of day is best to fly DEN to SFO?
- Before 9 AM: 80% of flights arrived on time, against 50% for departures 6 to 9 PM. Later flights inherit delays from earlier ones, so the first departures of the day usually run best.
- Which airline is most on time from DEN to SFO?
- United, with a season-adjusted 73% chance of operating and arriving on time over 3,367 flights. The adjustment compares each airline with what the route did in the months it flew, so a carrier that skipped a stormy month gets no free credit.
- What is the worst month for delays on DEN to SFO?
- May (60% on time); the best was October (78%), averaged over Jun 2023 to May 2026.
- Is this a prediction for my flight?
- No. These are historical odds from the US DOT on-time reports, FAA advisories and airport weather records. Check your flight status and the FAA delay board on the day you fly.
More routes from DEN
- SFO to DEN (return)
- DEN to PHX 75%
- DEN to SLC 77%
- DEN to LAX 79%
- DEN to LAS 75%
- DEN to SEA 73%
- DEN to ORD 70%
- DEN to DFW 75%
- DEN to SAN 76%
- DEN to MSP 78%
- DEN to ATL 80%
- DEN to AUS 76%
- DEN to COS 75%
Live status: FAA delays and ground stops