Route · DCA → SFO · 2020–2025 BTS data
Washington to San Francisco
The DCA–SFO corridor (Washington, DC → San Francisco, CA) runs behind the national average, served by 3 carriers across roughly 2,442 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 78.9%
- On-time
- -0.1 pts
- vs US avg
- 79 min
- Delay when late
- 3,834
- Flights
Cancelled
0.6%
Best Month
Oct 2024 92%
Worst Month
Feb 2025 59%
Distance
2,442 mi
Carriers
3
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 93 | 25 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Nov 2025 | 89 | 16 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Oct 2025 | 93 | 28 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Sep 2025 | 90 | 14 | 1 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Aug 2025 | 93 | 13 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Jul 2025 | 93 | 31 | 5 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Jun 2025 | 89 | 30 | 0 | 1 | AS,UA |
| May 2025 | 93 | 13 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Apr 2025 | 90 | 11 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Mar 2025 | 93 | 14 | 1 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Feb 2025 | 71 | 29 | 1 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Jan 2025 | 62 | 12 | 1 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Dec 2024 | 62 | 9 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Nov 2024 | 59 | 13 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Oct 2024 | 61 | 5 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Sep 2024 | 59 | 8 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Aug 2024 | 62 | 13 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Jul 2024 | 62 | 16 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Jun 2024 | 60 | 10 | 0 | 1 | AS,UA |
| May 2024 | 62 | 17 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Apr 2024 | 60 | 20 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Mar 2024 | 62 | 18 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Feb 2024 | 58 | 6 | 1 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Jan 2024 | 62 | 8 | 1 | 0 | AS,UA |
Cancellation Rate
0.6%
11 of 1,778 flights
Diversion Rate
0.1%
2 of 1,778 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
DCA - Washington
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Washington, DC.
Origin airport →SFO - San Francisco
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for San Francisco, CA.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See DCA and SFO side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Open comparison tool →Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to DCA–SFO.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About DCA to SFO
3,834 tracked flights put the DCA to SFO pairing (Washington to San Francisco) at a 78.9% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 79.0 minutes on average. Across the 2,442-mile route and its 3 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 0.6% cancelled and 0.1% diverted (1,778 flights sampled).
The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 59% - a 33-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often are flights delayed from DCA to SFO? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to SFO? ▼
How far is the flight from DCA to SFO? ▼
When is the best time to fly from DCA to SFO? ▼
Flight Guides
Tips and data-driven advice for choosing reliable routes.
Explore PlainFlights
Data source
Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
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.