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Route · SEA → FAI · 2020–2025 BTS data

Seattle to Fairbanks

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SEA to FAI (Seattle to Fairbanks) ranks #943 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

76.4%
On-time
-2.6 pts
vs US avg
50 min
Delay when late
11,703
Flights
#943 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.9%

Best Month

Feb 2024 91%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 56%

Distance

1,533 mi

Carriers

8

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 201 89 4 0 DL,AS
Nov 2025 166 19 0 0 DL,AS
Oct 2025 165 31 2 0 AS,DL
Sep 2025 235 29 0 0 DL,AS
Aug 2025 246 66 2 0 AS,DL
Jul 2025 247 78 7 0 AS,DL
Jun 2025 223 84 1 0 AS,DL
May 2025 172 56 1 0 AS,DL
Apr 2025 171 39 0 0 DL,AS
Mar 2025 197 26 1 0 AS,DL
Feb 2025 168 38 1 0 AS,DL
Jan 2025 190 34 0 0 AS,DL
Dec 2024 185 36 0 0 AS,DL
Nov 2024 163 39 1 0 AS,DL
Oct 2024 178 33 2 2 AS,DL
Sep 2024 240 54 1 0 AS,DL
Aug 2024 248 86 2 0 AS,DL
Jul 2024 248 79 3 0 AS,DL
Jun 2024 222 60 0 0 AS,DL
May 2024 182 75 1 0 AS,DL
Apr 2024 163 53 1 0 AS,DL
Mar 2024 195 45 0 1 AS,DL
Feb 2024 145 13 1 0 AS,DL
Jan 2024 162 40 10 0 AS,DL

SEA–FAI seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (83.8%) · weakest: December (64.3%)

60%65%70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 64.3%

Strongest calendar month

September

83.8% on-time · ~193 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~206 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

64.3% on-time · ~158 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.9%

41 of 4,712 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

3 of 4,712 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

SEA - Seattle

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

SEA on-time profile

FAI - Fairbanks

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

FAI on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare SEA vs FAI

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among SEA departures

From SEA, this corridor sits with 63 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 89 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (25 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 1 below 75%). Destination: Fairbanks · fleet on-time rank #4234 of 4927.

What the Data Says About SEA to FAI

The Seattle to Fairbanks corridor (SEA to FAI) posts a 76.4% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 11,703 tracked flights. Late flights run 49.5 minutes behind on average. 8 carriers cover the 1,533-mile route; over the last 24 months, 41 of 4,712 flights were cancelled (0.9%) and 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 56% - a 35-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SEA–FAI peaks in September at 83.8% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~206 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 64.3%, a 19.5-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SEA to FAI rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SEA to FAI ranks #943 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 SEA to FAI? ▼
Flights from Seattle to Fairbanks have a 76.4% on-time rate based on 11,703 flights. The average delay is 49.5 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 91% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SEA to FAI? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (41 of 4,712 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SEA to FAI? ▼
The flight distance from Seattle (SEA) to Fairbanks (FAI) is approximately 1,533 miles. This route is served by 8 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from SEA to FAI? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (91% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (56% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

SEA Airport

Seattle
FAI Airport

Fairbanks
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 SEA–FAI data

SEA–FAI is mid-pack at 76.4% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare SEA and FAI airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SEA airport
  • If your dates flex, September (83.8% on-time) beats December (64.3%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 76.4% 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.