Route · SFO → DCA · 2020–2025 BTS data
San Francisco to Washington
The SFO–DCA corridor (San Francisco, CA → Washington, DC) runs ahead of the national average, served by 3 carriers across roughly 2,442 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 85.3%
- On-time
- +6.3 pts
- vs US avg
- 61 min
- Delay when late
- 3,834
- Flights
Cancelled
0.3%
Best Month
Aug 2024 95%
Worst Month
Feb 2025 60%
Distance
2,442 mi
Carriers
3
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 93 | 12 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Nov 2025 | 89 | 19 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Oct 2025 | 93 | 20 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Sep 2025 | 90 | 16 | 0 | 2 | UA,AS |
| Aug 2025 | 93 | 19 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Jul 2025 | 93 | 35 | 4 | 6 | AS,UA |
| Jun 2025 | 89 | 20 | 0 | 3 | AS,UA |
| May 2025 | 93 | 22 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Apr 2025 | 90 | 8 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Mar 2025 | 93 | 16 | 0 | 1 | AS,UA |
| Feb 2025 | 72 | 29 | 0 | 4 | AS,UA |
| Jan 2025 | 62 | 13 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Dec 2024 | 62 | 12 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Nov 2024 | 59 | 3 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Oct 2024 | 61 | 8 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Sep 2024 | 59 | 10 | 0 | 0 | UA,AS |
| Aug 2024 | 62 | 3 | 0 | 1 | AS,UA |
| Jul 2024 | 62 | 4 | 0 | 1 | AS,UA |
| Jun 2024 | 60 | 5 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| May 2024 | 62 | 4 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Apr 2024 | 60 | 5 | 0 | 1 | AS,UA |
| Mar 2024 | 62 | 9 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Feb 2024 | 58 | 5 | 0 | 0 | AS,UA |
| Jan 2024 | 62 | 11 | 1 | 0 | AS,UA |
Cancellation Rate
0.3%
5 of 1,779 flights
Diversion Rate
1.1%
19 of 1,779 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
SFO - San Francisco
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for San Francisco, CA.
Origin airport →DCA - Washington
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Washington, DC.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See SFO and DCA side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Open comparison tool →Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to SFO–DCA.
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What the Data Says About SFO to DCA
San Francisco to Washington (SFO to DCA) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.3% on-time rate across 3,834 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 61.0 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 2,442 miles and is served by 3 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 5 of 1,779 flights were cancelled (0.3%) and 19 diverted (1.1%).
The monthly split is wide on this route: Aug 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Feb 2025 came in at just 60% - a 35-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often are flights delayed from SFO to DCA? ▼
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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.
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.