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Route on-time record

DFW to SFO: most on-time flights and the best time to fly

Dallas-Fort Worth (Dallas Fort Worth International Airport) to San Francisco (San Francisco International Airport). 4,063 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 64% arrived within 15 minutes and 2.2% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was United 790 at 7:00 AM.

Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.

DFW → SFO

Dallas-Fort Worth to San Francisco: 4,063 nonstop flights a year

On time (12 months)

64%

Cancelled

2.2%

avg delay 27 min

Best time to leave

Before 9 AM

84% on time vs 50% after 9 PM

Most reliable airline

United

74% chance on time

Check DFW to SFO fares

Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $162 (Frontier 3999 on 2026-10-20). 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. #1 · United 790

    7:00 AM → 9:07 AM4h 07m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.

    88%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    89%
    Cancelled
    1.8%
    Avg arrival delay
    8 min
    • Arrived on time 89% of the time (218 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 84% on time; After 9 PM: 50%).
    • Departs outside DFW's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 53% of its 139 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 · 218 flights

    Find United 790 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  2. #2 · American 1949

    7:26 AM → 9:16 AM3h 50m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.

    79%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    80%
    Cancelled
    2.2%
    Avg arrival delay
    15 min
    • Arrived on time 80% of the time (307 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 84% on time; After 9 PM: 50%).
    • Departs outside DFW's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 53% of its 139 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 · 307 flights

    Find American 1949 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  3. #3 · United 691

    1:25 PM → 3:28 PM4h 03m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.

    74%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    61%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    49 min
    • Arrived on time 61% of the time (38 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Never cancelled in 38 scheduled flights.
    • Departs inside DFW's trouble window: 53% of its 139 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
    • 56% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.

    Limited track record · 38 flights

    Find United 691 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  4. #4 · American 1849

    8:40 AM → 10:35 AM3h 55m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as American 1996; its record covers all of them.

    72%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    76%
    Cancelled
    2.2%
    Avg arrival delay
    18 min
    • Arrived on time 76% of the time (308 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 84% on time; After 9 PM: 50%).
    • Departs outside DFW's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 53% of its 139 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 · 308 flights

    Find American 1849 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  5. #5 · United 1712

    11:02 AM → 12:51 PM3h 49m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.

    67%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    27%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    57 min
    • Arrived on time 27% of the time (11 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Departs outside DFW's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 53% of its 139 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.
    • Short track record (11 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.

    Limited track record · 11 flights

    Find United 1712 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  6. #6 · United 1273

    7:54 PM → 9:46 PM3h 52m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.

    66%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    22%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    68 min
    • Arrived on time 22% of the time (9 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Departs outside DFW's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 53% of its 139 ground stops and delay programs started).
    • 57% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
    • Short track record (9 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.

    Limited track record · 9 flights

    Find United 1273 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  7. #7 · United 2413

    3:23 PM → 5:13 PM3h 50m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.

    65%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    30%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    59 min
    • Arrived on time 30% of the time (10 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Departs inside DFW's trouble window: 53% of its 139 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
    • Short track record (10 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.

    Limited track record · 10 flights

    Find United 2413 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  8. #8 · United 2330

    7:41 PM → 9:50 PM4h 09m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20. Same departure also flew as United 1718; its record covers all of them.

    65%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    59%
    Cancelled
    0.0%
    Avg arrival delay
    32 min
    • Arrived on time 59% of the time (70 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Never cancelled in 70 scheduled flights.
    • Departs outside DFW's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 53% of its 139 ground stops and delay programs started).

    Moderate track record · 70 flights

    Find United 2330 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  9. #9 · Frontier 3999

    8:51 PM → 11:04 PM4h 13m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.

    62%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    65%
    Cancelled
    3.4%
    Avg arrival delay
    23 min
    • Arrived on time 65% of the time (168 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Cancelled 3.4% of the time (6 of 174).
    • Departs outside DFW's trouble window (1 PM to 7 PM, when 53% of its 139 ground stops and delay programs started).

    Moderate track record · 168 flights

    Find Frontier 3999 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

  10. #10 · American 2997

    1:11 PM → 2:59 PM3h 48m nonstop

    Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as American 1740; its record covers all of them.

    61%

    chance on time

    On time (history)
    58%
    Cancelled
    1.1%
    Avg arrival delay
    33 min
    • Arrived on time 58% of the time (182 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
    • Departs inside DFW's trouble window: 53% of its 139 ground stops and delay programs started between 1 PM and 7 PM.
    • 52% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.

    Moderate track record · 182 flights

    Find American 2997 fares Opens this date on Aviasales

Airlines on this route

Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.

  • United Airlines74%

    802 flights · 75% on time as flown · 1.1% cancel

  • Frontier Airlines64%

    174 flights · 65% on time as flown · 2.9% cancel

  • American Airlines60%

    3,070 flights · 61% on time as flown · 2.5% cancel

On time by departure time

All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.

  • Before 9 AM84%

    900 flights · avg delay 11 min

  • 9 AM to noon65%

    578 flights · avg delay 24 min

  • Noon to 3 PM71%

    434 flights · avg delay 23 min

  • 3 to 6 PM55%

    737 flights · avg delay 34 min

  • 6 to 9 PM56%

    909 flights · avg delay 36 min

  • After 9 PM50%

    505 flights · avg delay 32 min

Best day: Tuesday (71%). Worst: Sunday (61%).

Smarter routing

Nearby airports that run more on time

  • DFW → SJC 70% chance on time

    Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport · 1,175 flights a year · 30 mi from your airports · yours: 63%

    Rank flightsFares

  • DAL → SJC 69% chance on time

    Dallas Love Field to Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport · 487 flights a year · 42 mi from your airports · yours: 63%

    Rank flightsFares

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.

J
70
F
71
M
68
A
56
M
52
J
56
J
58
A
64
S
75
O
75
N
75
D
71

What delays this route

  • Late-arriving aircraft43%
  • Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)30%
  • Air traffic control and airport volume21%
  • Severe weather6%

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

DFW to SFO questions

What time of day is best to fly DFW to SFO?
Before 9 AM: 84% of flights arrived on time, against 50% for departures after 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 DFW to SFO?
United, with a season-adjusted 74% chance of operating and arriving on time over 802 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 DFW to SFO?
May (52% on time); the best was October (75%), 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 DFW

Live status: FAA delays and ground stops