75% of flights from San Francisco to New York arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is worse than the typical U.S. route. The 6 a.m. departures ran on time 87% of the time; the 11 p.m. ones 57%. Most reliable airline: JetBlue (76%). 11% of flights arrived more than an hour late or not at all.
How late?
The on-time rate treats a flight 20 minutes late the same as one 5 hours late. Here's the split for SFO → JFK: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 51% of the time. About 1 in 13 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 60 three hours or more; 2.5% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early75%
- 15–30 min late7.3%
- 30–60 min late6.0%
- 1–2 hours late4.6%
- 2–3 hours late1.6%
- 3+ hours late1.7%
- Diverted0.9%
- Cancelled2.5%
Share of all 6,798 scheduled flights, past 12 months, by arrival time against schedule.
By airline
| Airline | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | 1h+ late | Avg when late | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 2,230 | 75% | 2.1% | −9 min | 7.9% | +71 min | Delta Air Lines |
| JetBlue | 1,955 | 76% | 2.5% | −9 min | 8.1% | +77 min | JetBlue |
| American Airlines | 1,501 | 74% | 3.2% | −10 min | 9.1% | +113 min | American Airlines |
| Alaska Airlines | 1,112 | 76% | 2.2% | −5 min | 5.9% | +56 min | Alaska Airlines |
Airline = the name on the ticket. Regional flights (e.g. "Delta Connection") count under the ticketing airline, and the operator is listed.
Best time of day to fly
On-time rate by scheduled departure hour (local time at SFO). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | Delta Air Lines | JetBlue | American Airlines | Alaska Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | — | 89% | 87% | 84% |
| 7 a.m. | 86% | 86% | 89% | 84% |
| 8 a.m. | 71% | 80% | — | — |
| 9 a.m. | 87% | — | — | 79% |
| 10 a.m. | — | 81% | 69% | — |
| 11 a.m. | 68% | 82% | — | — |
| noon | — | 64% | 56% | — |
| 1 p.m. | 55% | 77% | — | 58% |
| 2 p.m. | 78% | 57% | — | — |
| 4 p.m. | 69% | — | — | — |
| 8 p.m. | — | 79% | — | — |
| 9 p.m. | — | 84% | 73% | — |
| 10 p.m. | 85% | 85% | 84% | 77% |
| 11 p.m. | — | 64% | — | — |
Last flight of the day
On SFO → JFK, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 2.6% of the time, against 2.5% for its earlier flights, about the same. It arrived 3+ hours late 1.2% of the time (earlier flights: 1.8%). It matters more than the numbers suggest. Miss an earlier flight and there's another one that evening; miss the last one and you're usually waiting until morning.
| Airline | Last departure | Last: cancelled | Last: 3h+ late | Earlier: cancelled | Next morning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 9:20 p.m. | 4.1% | 2.8% | 2.9% | first flight 6:15 a.m. |
| Alaska Airlines | 9:30 p.m. | 1.8% | 0.0% | 2.4% | first flight 7:20 a.m. |
| JetBlue | 11:50 p.m. | 2.5% | 1.6% | 2.5% | first flight 6:00 a.m. |
| Delta Air Lines | 11:45 p.m. | 1.9% | 0.3% | 2.2% | first flight 7:00 a.m. |
Last flight = the airline's last scheduled departure on this route that day, on days it flies the route at least twice; past 12 months. Times are typical scheduled times over the latest three months.
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: October (87%). Worst: July (66%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 1,035 | 72% | 3.2% |
| Tuesday | 956 | 79% | 2.6% |
| Wednesday | 961 | 81% | 0.5% |
| Thursday | 1,007 | 74% | 1.4% |
| Friday | 1,015 | 76% | 2.2% |
| Saturday | 807 | 76% | 2.0% |
| Sunday | 1,017 | 69% | 5.3% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: weather 107 · airline 40 · air traffic/airport 22
Month by month
Flight numbers on this route
Regular flights with at least 120 scheduled trips in the past year. Sorted by departure time.
| Flight | Departs | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B6 116 | 6:00 a.m. | 180 | 88% | 1.1% | −11 min | JetBlue |
| AA 234 | 6:15 a.m. | 365 | 87% | 2.5% | −16 min | American Airlines |
| B6 816 | 7:00 a.m. | 348 | 75% | 1.7% | −11 min | JetBlue |
| DL 405 | 7:00 a.m. | 365 | 87% | 2.2% | −14 min | Delta Air Lines |
| AS 20 | 7:20 a.m. | 321 | 78% | 2.5% | −7 min | Alaska Airlines |
| B6 316 | 8:00 a.m. | 165 | 79% | 3.0% | −12 min | JetBlue |
| DL 383 | 9:00 a.m. | 350 | 83% | 3.4% | −15 min | Delta Air Lines |
| AA 16 | 10:22 a.m. | 336 | 68% | 2.4% | −6 min | American Airlines |
| B6 216 | 11:30 a.m. | 135 | 70% | 5.2% | −6 min | JetBlue |
| DL 668 | 11:50 a.m. | 346 | 71% | 2.6% | −5 min | Delta Air Lines |
| AA 166 | 12:10 p.m. | 362 | 64% | 3.6% | −3 min | American Airlines |
| AS 42 | 1:38 p.m. | 238 | 63% | 2.1% | +3 min | Alaska Airlines |
| B6 416 | 1:45 p.m. | 356 | 74% | 2.8% | −8 min | JetBlue |
| AA 276 | 9:20 p.m. | 350 | 79% | 4.0% | −17 min | American Airlines |
| AS 211 | 9:30 p.m. | 242 | 87% | 1.7% | −14 min | Alaska Airlines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 25, 2026 | 18 | 0% | 17 |
| Feb 23, 2026 | 17 | 0% | 16 |
| Feb 22, 2026 | 17 | 6% | 16 |
| Jul 18, 2026 | 16 | 6% | 2 |
| Jul 21, 2026 | 20 | 15% | 11 |
Nearby airport alternatives
Other ways to make the same trip, using airports within 60 miles of San Francisco or New York. None has been clearly more reliable than SFO → JFK.
| Route | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| SFO → JFK (this route) | 6,798 | 75% | 2.5% |
| SFO → EWR San Francisco to Newark | 4,348 | 75% | 1.9% |
Questions
How often are flights from SFO to JFK on time?
75% of 6,798 scheduled flights from San Francisco, CA to New York, NY arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 2.5% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly SFO to JFK?
Flights scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. were the most reliable (87% on time). The 11 p.m. departures were the least (57%).
Which airline is most on time from SFO to JFK?
JetBlue: 76% of its 1,955 flights on the route arrived on time. Delta Air Lines: 75%. American Airlines: 74%. Alaska Airlines: 76%.
What month has the most delays from SFO to JFK?
July (66% on time). The best month is October (87%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from SFO to JFK more likely to be cancelled?
Not much. Each airline's last SFO–JFK flight of the day was cancelled 2.6% of the time over the past year, against 2.5% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- JFK → SFO (return)
- San Francisco (SFO) delays by hour
- Flights into New York JFK (JFK)
- Delta Air Lines on-time record
- JetBlue on-time record
- American Airlines on-time record
- Alaska Airlines on-time record
- Connecting off this flight? Check the risk
Domestic flights by the airlines that report to the U.S. DOT, plus their regional partners. "On time" means arriving less than 15 minutes after schedule; cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time. Past performance is a guide, not a forecast. Method.