Route on-time record
IAH to SFO: most on-time flights and the best time to fly
Houston (George Bush Intercontinental Airport) to San Francisco (San Francisco International Airport). 3,595 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 79% arrived within 15 minutes and 0.5% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was United 487 at 5:00 AM.
Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.
IAH → SFO
Houston to San Francisco: 3,595 nonstop flights a year
On time (12 months)
79%
Cancelled
0.5%
avg delay 16 min
Best time to leave
Before 9 AM
92% on time vs 65% 6 to 9 PM
Most reliable airline
United
79% chance on time
Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $394 (United 2764 on 2026-10-26). 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 487
5:00 AM → 7:16 AM4h 16m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
96%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 97%
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Avg arrival delay
- 4 min
- Arrived on time 97% of the time (246 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 92% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 65%).
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 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 · 246 flights
Find United 487 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#2 · United 1768
7:20 AM → 9:30 AM4h 22m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
89%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 90%
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Avg arrival delay
- 5 min
- Arrived on time 90% of the time (344 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 92% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 65%).
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 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 · 344 flights
Find United 1768 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#3 · United 589
2:50 PM → 5:13 PM4h 23m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
82%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 83%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 15 min
- Arrived on time 83% of the time (295 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 295 scheduled flights.
- Departs inside IAH's trouble window: 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started between noon and 6 PM.
Strong track record · 295 flights
Find United 589 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#4 · United 2611
12:30 PM → 2:53 PM4h 23m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
82%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 83%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 16 min
- Arrived on time 83% of the time (218 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 218 scheduled flights.
- Departs inside IAH's trouble window: 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started between noon and 6 PM.
Strong track record · 218 flights
Find United 2611 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#5 · United 1354
3:16 PM → 5:48 PM4h 32m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-03-28.
81%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 89%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 10 min
- Arrived on time 89% of the time (45 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 45 scheduled flights.
- Departs inside IAH's trouble window: 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started between noon and 6 PM.
- Short track record (45 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 45 flights
Find United 1354 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#6 · United 2744
8:20 AM → 10:42 AM4h 22m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as United 1418; its record covers all of them.
79%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 75%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 16 min
- Arrived on time 75% of the time (64 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 64 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 92% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 65%).
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started).
Moderate track record · 64 flights
Find United 2744 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#7 · United 1609
9:40 PM → 11:59 PM4h 19m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
78%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 79%
- Cancelled
- 1.4%
- Avg arrival delay
- 13 min
- Arrived on time 79% of the time (214 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 214 flights
Find United 1609 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#8 · United 382
4:45 PM → 6:58 PM4h 20m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
76%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 74%
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Avg arrival delay
- 25 min
- Arrived on time 74% of the time (108 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs inside IAH's trouble window: 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started between noon and 6 PM.
Moderate track record · 108 flights
Find United 382 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#9 · United 2358
10:00 AM → 12:18 PM4h 18m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
76%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 76%
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Avg arrival delay
- 17 min
- Arrived on time 76% of the time (361 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 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 · 361 flights
Find United 2358 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#10 · United 1341
6:05 PM → 8:23 PM4h 18m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as United 1166; its record covers all of them.
67%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 68%
- Cancelled
- 1.9%
- Avg arrival delay
- 20 min
- Arrived on time 68% of the time (156 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's least on-time window (6 to 9 PM: 65% on time; Before 9 AM: 92%).
- Departs outside IAH's trouble window (noon to 6 PM, when 60% of its 92 ground stops and delay programs started).
Moderate track record · 156 flights
Find United 1341 fares Opens this date on Aviasales
Airlines on this route
Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.
- United Airlines79%
3,595 flights · 79% on time as flown · 0.5% cancel
On time by departure time
All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Before 9 AM92%
790 flights · avg delay 5 min
- 9 AM to noon77%
366 flights · avg delay 17 min
- Noon to 3 PM84%
665 flights · avg delay 14 min
- 3 to 6 PM78%
629 flights · avg delay 20 min
- 6 to 9 PM65%
754 flights · avg delay 24 min
- After 9 PM78%
391 flights · avg delay 14 min
Best day: Tuesday (83%). Worst: Monday (74%).
Smarter routing
Nearby airports that run more on time
HOU → SJC 85% chance on time
William P. Hobby Airport to Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport · 364 flights a year · 54 mi from your airports · yours: 79%
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 volume34%
- Late-arriving aircraft30%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)29%
- Severe weather7%
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
IAH to SFO questions
- What time of day is best to fly IAH to SFO?
- Before 9 AM: 92% of flights arrived on time, against 65% 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 IAH to SFO?
- United, with a season-adjusted 79% chance of operating and arriving on time over 3,595 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 IAH to SFO?
- June (66% on time); the best was September (86%), 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 IAH
- SFO to IAH (return)
- IAH to ORD 75%
- IAH to DFW 75%
- IAH to LAX 83%
- IAH to ATL 77%
- IAH to DEN 81%
- IAH to LGA 72%
- IAH to MIA 78%
- IAH to EWR 74%
- IAH to MCO 81%
- IAH to LAS 82%
- IAH to DCA 75%
- IAH to MSY 83%
Live status: FAA delays and ground stops