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Route · FAI → SEA · 2020–2025 BTS data

Fairbanks to Seattle

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), FAI to SEA (Fairbanks to Seattle) ranks #944 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.2%
On-time
+3.2 pts
vs US avg
64 min
Delay when late
11,702
Flights
#944 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.0%

Best Month

Mar 2025 92%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 68%

Distance

1,533 mi

Carriers

9

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 200 64 6 0 DL,AS
Nov 2025 166 29 0 0 DL,AS
Oct 2025 164 32 1 0 AS,DL
Sep 2025 236 41 0 0 DL,AS
Aug 2025 246 36 2 0 AS,DL
Jul 2025 247 30 7 0 AS,DL
Jun 2025 222 35 1 0 AS,DL
May 2025 172 28 1 0 AS,DL
Apr 2025 171 18 0 0 DL,AS
Mar 2025 197 16 1 0 AS,DL
Feb 2025 168 21 1 0 AS,DL
Jan 2025 192 28 0 0 AS,DL
Dec 2024 186 42 0 0 AS,DL
Nov 2024 161 30 1 0 AS,DL
Oct 2024 179 28 2 0 AS,DL
Sep 2024 240 25 2 0 AS,DL
Aug 2024 248 46 2 0 AS,DL
Jul 2024 248 74 6 0 AS,DL
Jun 2024 222 36 0 0 AS,DL
May 2024 183 29 1 0 AS,DL
Apr 2024 162 24 1 0 AS,DL
Mar 2024 194 33 0 0 AS,DL
Feb 2024 145 21 1 0 AS,DL
Jan 2024 163 44 12 0 AS,DL

FAI–SEA seasonal on-time pattern

Best: May (88.1%) · weakest: December (69.5%)

65%70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 69.5%

Strongest calendar month

May

88.1% on-time · ~150 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~206 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

69.5% on-time · ~158 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.0%

48 of 4,712 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

0 of 4,712 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

FAI - Fairbanks

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Fairbanks, AK.

FAI on-time profile

SEA - Seattle

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Seattle, WA.

SEA on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See FAI and SEA side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare FAI vs SEA

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among FAI departures

From FAI, this corridor sits with 2 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 3 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (1 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Seattle · fleet on-time rank #2264 of 4927.

What the Data Says About FAI to SEA

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Fairbanks to Seattle (FAI to SEA) running a 82.2% on-time rate over 11,702 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 63.5 minutes. The 1,533-mile corridor is served by 9 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.0% of 4,712 flights were cancelled, 0.0% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Mar 2025 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 68% - a 24-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, FAI–SEA peaks in May at 88.1% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~206 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 69.5%, a 18.6-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does FAI to SEA rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, FAI to SEA ranks #944 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 FAI to SEA? ▼
Flights from Fairbanks to Seattle have a 82.2% on-time rate based on 11,702 flights. The average delay is 63.5 minutes. The best recent month was Mar 2025 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for FAI to SEA? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (48 of 4,712 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from FAI to SEA? ▼
The flight distance from Fairbanks (FAI) to Seattle (SEA) is approximately 1,533 miles. This route is served by 9 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from FAI to SEA? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Mar 2025 (92% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (68% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

FAI Airport

Fairbanks
SEA Airport

Seattle
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.

Using FAI–SEA data

FAI–SEA runs 3.2 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare FAI and SEA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. FAI airport
  • If your dates flex, May (88.1% on-time) beats December (69.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.2% 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.