PlainFlights

Route · DEN → SAN · 2020–2025 BTS data

Denver to San Diego

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DEN to SAN (Denver to San Diego) ranks #144 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

78%
On-time
-1 pts
vs US avg
60 min
Delay when late
28,912
Flights
#144 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.1%

Best Month

Sep 2024 84%

Worst Month

Jul 2025 66%

Distance

853 mi

Carriers

11

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 538 156 3 3 WN,F9,AS,UA,OO
Nov 2025 529 106 13 0 OO,UA,F9,AS,WN
Oct 2025 532 140 1 5 AS,OO,UA,WN,F9
Sep 2025 411 111 3 1 UA,WN,F9
Aug 2025 436 132 2 0 WN,F9,UA
Jul 2025 458 158 4 1 UA,WN,F9
Jun 2025 458 158 2 0 UA,WN,F9
May 2025 458 119 3 0 UA,WN,F9
Apr 2025 434 101 3 0 F9,UA,WN
Mar 2025 449 76 1 1 UA,WN,F9
Feb 2025 383 105 1 1 UA,WN,F9
Jan 2025 427 85 2 5 UA,WN,F9
Dec 2024 452 88 12 10 F9,UA,WN
Nov 2024 459 98 4 0 UA,WN,F9
Oct 2024 495 113 5 4 UA,WN,F9
Sep 2024 459 74 0 0 WN,UA,F9
Aug 2024 481 112 7 1 F9,WN,UA
Jul 2024 499 165 6 1 F9,UA,WN
Jun 2024 516 164 9 3 F9,UA,WN
May 2024 497 125 6 1 F9,UA,WN
Apr 2024 461 106 1 0 F9,UA,WN
Mar 2024 448 97 4 0 F9,UA,WN
Feb 2024 390 108 1 0 F9,UA,WN
Jan 2024 401 81 25 0 F9,WN,UA

DEN–SAN seasonal on-time pattern

Best: November (83.7%) · weakest: June (70.2%)

65%70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 76.6%

Strongest calendar month

November

83.7% on-time · ~416 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~432 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

70.2% on-time · ~421 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.1%

118 of 11,071 flights

Diversion Rate

0.3%

37 of 11,071 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among DEN departures

From DEN, this corridor sits with 133 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 168 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (8 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 27 below 75%). Destination: San Diego · fleet on-time rank #3836 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DEN to SAN

The Denver to San Diego corridor (DEN to SAN) posts a 78% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 28,912 tracked flights. Late flights run 60.1 minutes behind on average. 11 carriers cover the 853-mile route; over the last 24 months, 118 of 11,071 flights were cancelled (1.1%) and 0.3% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2024 posted the strongest performance at 84% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 66% - a 18-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DEN–SAN peaks in November at 83.7% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~432 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 70.2%, a 13.5-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DEN to SAN rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DEN to SAN ranks #144 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 DEN to SAN?
Flights from Denver to San Diego have a 78% on-time rate based on 28,912 flights. The average delay is 60.1 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2024 with 84% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DEN to SAN?
Over the last 24 months, 1.1% of flights on this route were cancelled (118 of 11,071 flights) and 0.3% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DEN to SAN?
The flight distance from Denver (DEN) to San Diego (SAN) is approximately 853 miles. This route is served by 11 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DEN to SAN?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2024 (84% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (66% 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 DEN–SAN data

DEN–SAN is mid-pack at 78% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare DEN and SAN airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DEN airport
  • If your dates flex, November (83.7% on-time) beats June (70.2%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 78% 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.