73% of flights from Tampa to San Diego arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is worse than the typical U.S. route. The 8 a.m. departures ran on time 89% of the time; the 5 p.m. ones 68%. Most reliable airline: Alaska Airlines (82%). 7% 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 TPA → SAN: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 66% of the time. About 1 in 15 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 94 three hours or more; 0.5% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early73%
- 15–30 min late12%
- 30–60 min late8.2%
- 1–2 hours late4.1%
- 2–3 hours late1.4%
- 3+ hours late1.1%
- Diverted0.2%
- Cancelled0.5%
Share of all 656 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | 364 | 82% | 0.8% | −13 min | 5.2% | +58 min | Alaska Airlines |
| Southwest Airlines | 292 | 62% | 0.0% | +7 min | 8.2% | +47 min | Southwest 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 TPA). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | Alaska Airlines |
|---|---|
| 8 a.m. | 89% |
| 5 p.m. | 70% |
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: December (82%). Worst: July (62%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 97 | — | — |
| Tuesday | 85 | — | — |
| Wednesday | 83 | — | — |
| Thursday | 93 | — | — |
| Friday | 98 | — | — |
| Saturday | 100 | 68% | 1.0% |
| Sunday | 100 | 62% | 0.0% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: airline 3
Month by month
Not enough months with data to draw a trend.
Questions
How often are flights from TPA to SAN on time?
73% of 656 scheduled flights from Tampa, FL to San Diego, CA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 0.5% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly TPA to SAN?
Flights scheduled to leave at 8 a.m. were the most reliable (89% on time). The 5 p.m. departures were the least (68%).
Which airline is most on time from TPA to SAN?
Alaska Airlines: 82% of its 364 flights on the route arrived on time. Southwest Airlines: 62%.
What month has the most delays from TPA to SAN?
July (62% on time). The best month is December (82%), over 2023–2026.
Related
- SAN → TPA (return)
- Tampa (TPA) delays by hour
- Flights into San Diego (SAN)
- Alaska Airlines on-time record
- Southwest 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.