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Route · CLE → SFO · 2020–2025 BTS data

Cleveland to San Francisco

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), CLE to SFO (Cleveland to San Francisco) ranks #3708 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

88%
On-time
+9 pts
vs US avg
67 min
Delay when late
2,200
Flights
#3708 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.0%

Best Month

Oct 2025 95%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 75%

Distance

2,161 mi

Carriers

2

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 52 13 0 0 UA
Nov 2025 59 5 0 0 UA
Oct 2025 76 4 0 0 UA
Sep 2025 57 3 0 0 UA
Aug 2025 57 4 0 0 UA
Jul 2025 61 11 0 0 UA
Jun 2025 60 5 0 0 UA
May 2025 59 5 0 0 UA
Apr 2025 55 5 0 0 UA
Mar 2025 50 12 0 0 UA
Jan 2025 31 2 0 0 UA
Dec 2024 33 7 0 0 UA
Nov 2024 49 7 0 0 UA
Oct 2024 48 2 0 0 UA
Sep 2024 47 2 0 0 UA
Aug 2024 53 7 1 0 UA
Jul 2024 58 7 1 0 UA
Jun 2024 30 2 0 0 UA
May 2024 31 1 0 0 UA
Apr 2024 30 3 0 0 UA
Mar 2024 31 6 0 0 UA
Jan 2024 31 5 9 0 UA
Dec 2023 43 6 0 0 UA
Nov 2023 49 5 0 0 UA

CLE–SFO seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (97.7%) · weakest: July (79.6%)

75%80%85%90%95%100% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 83.2%

Strongest calendar month

February

97.7% on-time · ~44 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~58 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

79.6% on-time · ~58 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.0%

11 of 1,150 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

0 of 1,150 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among CLE's stronger departures

CLE → SFO posts a 88% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 12 of 30 BTS-tracked routes leaving Cleveland. The same hub also shows 17 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #412 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About CLE to SFO

Cleveland to San Francisco (CLE to SFO) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 88% on-time rate across 2,200 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 67.3 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 2,161 miles and is served by 2 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 11 of 1,150 flights were cancelled (1.0%) and 0 diverted (0.0%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2025 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 75% - a 20-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, CLE–SFO peaks in February at 97.7% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~58 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 79.6%, a 18.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does CLE to SFO rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, CLE to SFO ranks #3708 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from CLE to SFO?
Flights from Cleveland to San Francisco have a 88% on-time rate based on 2,200 flights. The average delay is 67.3 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2025 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for CLE to SFO?
Over the last 24 months, 1.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (11 of 1,150 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from CLE to SFO?
The flight distance from Cleveland (CLE) to San Francisco (SFO) is approximately 2,161 miles. This route is served by 2 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from CLE to SFO?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2025 (95% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (75% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Using CLE–SFO data

CLE–SFO runs 9 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare CLE and SFO airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. CLE airport
  • If your dates flex, February (97.7% on-time) beats July (79.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 88% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.