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Route · SFO → CLE · 2020–2025 BTS data

San Francisco to Cleveland

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SFO to CLE (San Francisco to Cleveland) ranks #3705 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85.7%
On-time
+6.7 pts
vs US avg
65 min
Delay when late
2,204
Flights
#3705 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.4%

Best Month

Apr 2025 100%

Worst Month

Aug 2025 81%

Distance

2,161 mi

Carriers

2

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 53 6 0 0 UA
Nov 2025 59 4 0 0 UA
Oct 2025 76 6 0 0 UA
Sep 2025 57 2 0 0 UA
Aug 2025 57 11 0 0 UA
Jul 2025 61 11 0 1 UA
Jun 2025 60 7 0 0 UA
May 2025 59 3 0 0 UA
Apr 2025 55 0 0 0 UA
Mar 2025 50 4 0 0 UA
Jan 2025 31 7 1 0 UA
Dec 2024 33 3 0 0 UA
Nov 2024 49 4 0 0 UA
Oct 2024 48 2 0 0 UA
Sep 2024 47 5 0 0 UA
Aug 2024 53 3 2 0 UA
Jul 2024 58 11 1 0 UA
Jun 2024 30 1 0 0 UA
May 2024 31 3 0 0 UA
Apr 2024 30 7 0 0 UA
Mar 2024 31 16 0 0 UA
Jan 2024 31 7 12 0 UA
Dec 2023 43 8 0 0 UA
Nov 2023 49 3 0 0 UA

SFO–CLE seasonal on-time pattern

Best: November (91.7%) · weakest: July (74.8%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 88%

Strongest calendar month

November

91.7% on-time · ~43 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~58 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

74.8% on-time · ~58 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.4%

16 of 1,151 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

1 of 1,151 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SFO's stronger departures

SFO → CLE posts a 85.7% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 20 of 73 BTS-tracked routes leaving San Francisco. The same hub also shows 50 mid-band and 3 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #1005 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SFO to CLE

San Francisco to Cleveland (SFO to CLE) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.7% on-time rate across 2,204 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 65.4 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 2,161 miles and is served by 2 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 16 of 1,151 flights were cancelled (1.4%) and 1 diverted (0.1%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Apr 2025 posted the strongest performance at 100% on-time, while Aug 2025 came in at just 81% - a 19-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SFO–CLE peaks in November at 91.7% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~58 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 74.8%, a 16.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SFO to CLE rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SFO to CLE ranks #3705 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 SFO to CLE?
Flights from San Francisco to Cleveland have a 85.7% on-time rate based on 2,204 flights. The average delay is 65.4 minutes. The best recent month was Apr 2025 with 100% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SFO to CLE?
Over the last 24 months, 1.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (16 of 1,151 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SFO to CLE?
The flight distance from San Francisco (SFO) to Cleveland (CLE) is approximately 2,161 miles. This route is served by 2 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from SFO to CLE?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Apr 2025 (100% on-time). The worst was Aug 2025 (81% 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 SFO–CLE data

SFO–CLE runs 6.7 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare SFO and CLE airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SFO airport
  • If your dates flex, November (91.7% on-time) beats July (74.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85.7% 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.