PlainFlights

Route · SAN → IAH · 2020–2025 BTS data

San Diego to Houston

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SAN to IAH (San Diego to Houston) ranks #1252 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

86.8%
On-time
+7.8 pts
vs US avg
73 min
Delay when late
9,427
Flights
#1252 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.9%

Best Month

Feb 2024 93%

Worst Month

Dec 2024 70%

Distance

1,303 mi

Carriers

6

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 145 20 0 0 UA
Nov 2025 142 31 0 0 UA
Oct 2025 147 15 0 0 UA
Sep 2025 137 16 1 0 UA
Aug 2025 141 30 2 0 UA
Jul 2025 141 33 3 2 UA
Jun 2025 141 34 2 1 UA
May 2025 145 27 3 0 UA
Apr 2025 141 15 0 1 UA
Mar 2025 142 13 1 0 UA
Feb 2025 122 13 0 0 UA
Jan 2025 129 15 5 2 UA
Dec 2024 148 44 2 1 UA
Nov 2024 148 12 0 0 UA
Oct 2024 147 27 1 0 UA
Sep 2024 143 18 0 0 NK,UA
Aug 2024 181 34 0 2 NK,UA
Jul 2024 185 49 14 3 NK,UA
Jun 2024 180 34 1 0 NK,UA
May 2024 173 32 6 4 NK,UA
Apr 2024 141 12 0 1 UA
Mar 2024 137 13 0 0 UA
Feb 2024 113 8 0 0 UA
Jan 2024 131 11 26 0 UA

SAN–IAH seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (93.1%) · weakest: July (77.9%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 85.1%

Strongest calendar month

February

93.1% on-time · ~115 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~153 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

77.9% on-time · ~146 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.9%

67 of 3,500 flights

Diversion Rate

0.5%

17 of 3,500 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SAN's stronger departures

SAN → IAH posts a 86.8% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 13 of 51 BTS-tracked routes leaving San Diego. The same hub also shows 34 mid-band and 4 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #690 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SAN to IAH

San Diego to Houston (SAN to IAH) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 86.8% on-time rate across 9,427 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 72.9 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 1,303 miles and is served by 6 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 67 of 3,500 flights were cancelled (1.9%) and 17 diverted (0.5%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 93% on-time, while Dec 2024 came in at just 70% - a 23-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SAN–IAH peaks in February at 93.1% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~153 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 77.9%, a 15.2-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SAN to IAH rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SAN to IAH ranks #1252 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 SAN to IAH?
Flights from San Diego to Houston have a 86.8% on-time rate based on 9,427 flights. The average delay is 72.9 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 93% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SAN to IAH?
Over the last 24 months, 1.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (67 of 3,500 flights) and 0.5% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SAN to IAH?
The flight distance from San Diego (SAN) to Houston (IAH) is approximately 1,303 miles. This route is served by 6 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from SAN to IAH?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (93% on-time). The worst was Dec 2024 (70% 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 SAN–IAH data

SAN–IAH runs 7.8 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare SAN and IAH airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SAN airport
  • If your dates flex, February (93.1% on-time) beats July (77.9%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 86.8% 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.