Route on-time record
SFO to LAX: most on-time flights and the best time to fly
San Francisco (San Francisco International Airport) to Los Angeles (Los Angeles International Airport). 10,834 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 76% arrived within 15 minutes and 0.9% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was United 2127 at 6:00 AM.
Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.
SFO → LAX
San Francisco to Los Angeles: 10,834 nonstop flights a year
On time (12 months)
76%
Cancelled
0.9%
avg delay 16 min
Best time to leave
Before 9 AM
91% on time vs 68% after 9 PM
Most reliable airline
United
79% chance on time
Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $17 (Frontier 2858 on 2026-11-14). 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 2127
6:00 AM → 7:28 AM1h 28m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
95%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 97%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 3 min
- Arrived on time 97% of the time (32 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 32 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 68%).
- Departs outside SFO's trouble window (7 AM to 1 PM, when 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started).
Limited track record · 32 flights
Find United 2127 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#2 · Delta 1598
6:00 AM → 7:29 AM1h 29m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
94%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 95%
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Avg arrival delay
- 10 min
- Arrived on time 95% of the time (359 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 68%).
- Departs outside SFO's trouble window (7 AM to 1 PM, when 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 359 flights
Find Delta 1598 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#3 · Southwest 2870
6:20 AM → 7:55 AM1h 35m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-30.
92%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 97%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 0 min
- Arrived on time 97% of the time (31 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 31 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 68%).
- Departs outside SFO's trouble window (7 AM to 1 PM, when 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started).
Limited track record · 31 flights
Find Southwest 2870 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#4 · Southwest 1159
6:45 AM → 8:20 AM1h 35m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as Southwest 578; its record covers all of them.
91%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 97%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 1 min
- Arrived on time 97% of the time (31 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 31 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 68%).
- Departs outside SFO's trouble window (7 AM to 1 PM, when 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started).
Limited track record · 31 flights
Find Southwest 1159 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#5 · SkyWest 5747 · sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska
8:26 AM → 10:09 AM1h 49m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-29.
91%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 94%
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Avg arrival delay
- 5 min
- Arrived on time 94% of the time (83 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 68%).
- Departs inside SFO's trouble window: 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started between 7 AM and 1 PM.
Moderate track record · 83 flights
Find 8:26 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#6 · SkyWest 6217 · sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska
7:10 AM → 8:56 AM1h 46m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.
90%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 91%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 4 min
- Arrived on time 91% of the time (43 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 43 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 68%).
- Departs inside SFO's trouble window: 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started between 7 AM and 1 PM.
Limited track record · 43 flights
Find 7:10 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#7 · SkyWest 6294 · sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska
6:00 AM → 7:43 AM1h 43m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31. Same departure also flew as SkyWest 6029, 5690, 3318; its record covers all of them.
90%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 90%
- Cancelled
- 0.3%
- Avg arrival delay
- 7 min
- Arrived on time 90% of the time (399 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 68%).
- Departs outside SFO's trouble window (7 AM to 1 PM, when 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started).
Strong track record · 399 flights
Find 6:00 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#8 · Delta 1421
8:55 AM → 10:27 AM1h 32m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
89%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 92%
- Cancelled
- 3.1%
- Avg arrival delay
- 7 min
- Arrived on time 92% of the time (341 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 3.1% of the time (11 of 352).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 68%).
- Departs inside SFO's trouble window: 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started between 7 AM and 1 PM.
Strong track record · 341 flights
Find Delta 1421 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#9 · United 1260
7:15 AM → 8:57 AM1h 42m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.
89%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 89%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 6 min
- Arrived on time 89% of the time (301 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 301 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 68%).
- Departs inside SFO's trouble window: 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started between 7 AM and 1 PM.
Strong track record · 301 flights
Find United 1260 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#10 · Alaska 1450
6:00 AM → 7:33 AM1h 33m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
88%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 84%
- Cancelled
- 2.3%
- Avg arrival delay
- 6 min
- Arrived on time 84% of the time (43 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 91% on time; After 9 PM: 68%).
- Departs outside SFO's trouble window (7 AM to 1 PM, when 61% of its 333 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (43 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 43 flights
Find Alaska 1450 fares Opens this date on Aviasales
Airlines on this route
Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.
- United Airlines79%
3,255 flights · 80% on time as flown · 0.3% cancel
- SkyWest Airlines (sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska)77%
2,610 flights · 79% on time as flown · 1.1% cancel
- American Airlines76%
376 flights · 77% on time as flown · 0.4% cancel
- Alaska Airlines76%
506 flights · 73% on time as flown · 1.0% cancel
- Delta Air Lines74%
2,374 flights · 75% on time as flown · 1.5% cancel
- Frontier Airlines68%
387 flights · 67% on time as flown · 1.4% cancel
- Southwest Airlines65%
1,325 flights · 65% on time as flown · 0.6% cancel
On time by departure time
All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Before 9 AM91%
2,624 flights · avg delay 7 min
- 9 AM to noon73%
2,250 flights · avg delay 17 min
- Noon to 3 PM70%
1,444 flights · avg delay 17 min
- 3 to 6 PM69%
1,658 flights · avg delay 21 min
- 6 to 9 PM72%
2,017 flights · avg delay 19 min
- After 9 PM68%
841 flights · avg delay 19 min
Best day: Tuesday (84%). Worst: Friday (75%).
Smarter routing
Nearby airports that run more on time
SJC → LAX 87% chance on time
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport to Los Angeles International Airport · 4,405 flights a year · 30 mi from your airports · yours: 75%
SJC → SNA 87% chance on time
Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport to John Wayne Orange County International Airport · 2,679 flights a year · 66 mi from your airports · yours: 75%
OAK → LGB 86% chance on time
Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport to Long Beach International Airport · 1,649 flights a year · 28 mi from your airports · yours: 75%
OAK → SNA 86% chance on time
Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport to John Wayne Orange County International Airport · 2,387 flights a year · 47 mi from your airports · yours: 75%
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
- Late-arriving aircraft55%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)26%
- Air traffic control and airport volume18%
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
SFO to LAX questions
- What time of day is best to fly SFO to LAX?
- Before 9 AM: 91% of flights arrived on time, against 68% 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 SFO to LAX?
- United, with a season-adjusted 79% chance of operating and arriving on time over 3,255 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 SFO to LAX?
- May (73% on time); the best was January (84%), 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 SFO
- LAX to SFO (return)
- SFO to SEA 74%
- SFO to JFK 80%
- SFO to SAN 68%
- SFO to LAS 76%
- SFO to ORD 77%
- SFO to DEN 76%
- SFO to SNA 81%
- SFO to PHX 76%
- SFO to BOS 78%
- SFO to EWR 76%
- SFO to DFW 75%
- SFO to IAH 85%
Live status: FAA delays and ground stops