State · CA · 2020–2025 BTS data
California
According to PlainFlights' state traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), California ranks #2 of 53 US states by total flight operations (most flights = #1).
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 82.3%
- On-time
- +3.3 pts
- vs US avg
- 68 min
- Delay when late
- 0.89%
- Cancelled
- #2 of 53
- Corpus placement
State reliability verdict
According to U.S. DOT BTS data, California is a busy-book state: 8,043,906 operations at 24 airports run 82.3% on-time, 3.3 pts above the 79% U.S. average. Among tracked airports, CLD leads locally at 89.3% on-time.
- 82.3%
- statewide on-time
- +3.3 pts
- vs US average
- 24
- airports tracked
- 0.89%
- cancellation rate
On-time means arrived less than 15 minutes after schedule. Figures are historical BTS averages, not a guarantee for any single flight.
California vs all states by total flight operations
Where this state's BTS On-Time Performance flight count sits among every state with tracked operations (traffic density, not on-time quality)
8,043,906 Top 4% more flights than 96% of 53 states
States, banded by total BTS-tracked flights
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more states. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source BTS On-Time Performance · 2026-06-13
Airports in California
California airports ranked by on-time rate
24 BTS-tracked airports, led by CLD at 89.3%
On-time rate by airport
- CLD
Carlsbad, CA: 89.3% on-time, 1,281 flights
89 %
- RDD
Redding, CA: 85.8% on-time, 16,709 flights
86 %
- ACV
Arcata/Eureka, CA: 84.4% on-time, 20,571 flights
84 %
- SJC
San Jose, CA: 84.2% on-time, 546,547 flights
84 %
- MRY
Monterey, CA: 83.9% on-time, 47,880 flights
84 %
- PSP
Palm Springs, CA: 83.7% on-time, 159,999 flights
84 %
- BFL
Bakersfield, CA: 83.6% on-time, 30,993 flights
84 %
- SBA
Santa Barbara, CA: 83.3% on-time, 83,263 flights
83 %
- STS
Santa Rosa, CA: 83.3% on-time, 43,075 flights
83 %
- LGB
Long Beach, CA: 83.2% on-time, 174,755 flights
83 %
- SBP
San Luis Obispo, CA: 83.2% on-time, 56,561 flights
83 %
- FAT
Fresno, CA: 83% on-time, 133,263 flights
83 %
- LAX
Los Angeles, CA: 82.8% on-time, 2,137,032 flights
83 %
- SMF
Sacramento, CA: 82.7% on-time, 592,833 flights
83 %
- SNA
Santa Ana, CA: 82.5% on-time, 482,186 flights
83 %
- BUR
Burbank, CA: 82.4% on-time, 319,148 flights
82 %
- ONT
Ontario, CA: 82.3% on-time, 272,856 flights
82 %
- OAK
Oakland, CA: 81.7% on-time, 472,036 flights
82 %
- SFO
San Francisco, CA: 81% on-time, 1,466,784 flights
81 %
- SAN
San Diego, CA: 80.8% on-time, 973,807 flights
81 %
What this shows Airports here range from 72.6% to 89.3% on-time.
| Code | Airport | City | Flights | On-Time | Avg Delay (when late) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LAX | Los Angeles, CA | Los Angeles | 2,137,032 | 82.8% | 72.9 min |
| SFO | San Francisco, CA | San Francisco | 1,466,784 | 81% | 72.5 min |
| SAN | San Diego, CA | San Diego | 973,807 | 80.8% | 64.8 min |
| SMF | Sacramento, CA | Sacramento | 592,833 | 82.7% | 62.4 min |
| SJC | San Jose, CA | San Jose | 546,547 | 84.2% | 59.8 min |
| SNA | Santa Ana, CA | Santa Ana | 482,186 | 82.5% | 65.2 min |
| OAK | Oakland, CA | Oakland | 472,036 | 81.7% | 56.3 min |
| BUR | Burbank, CA | Burbank | 319,148 | 82.4% | 62.1 min |
| ONT | Ontario, CA | Ontario | 272,856 | 82.3% | 67.3 min |
| LGB | Long Beach, CA | Long Beach | 174,755 | 83.2% | 56.7 min |
| PSP | Palm Springs, CA | Palm Springs | 159,999 | 83.7% | 70.8 min |
| FAT | Fresno, CA | Fresno | 133,263 | 83% | 75.9 min |
| SBA | Santa Barbara, CA | Santa Barbara | 83,263 | 83.3% | 78.6 min |
| SBP | San Luis Obispo, CA | San Luis Obispo | 56,561 | 83.2% | 88.2 min |
| MRY | Monterey, CA | Monterey | 47,880 | 83.9% | 86.7 min |
| STS | Santa Rosa, CA | Santa Rosa | 43,075 | 83.3% | 70.1 min |
| BFL | Bakersfield, CA | Bakersfield | 30,993 | 83.6% | 93.7 min |
| ACV | Arcata/Eureka, CA | Arcata/Eureka | 20,571 | 84.4% | 111.8 min |
| RDD | Redding, CA | Redding | 16,709 | 85.8% | 103.9 min |
| SCK | Stockton, CA | Stockton | 7,206 | 72.6% | 78.7 min |
| BIH | Bishop, CA | Bishop | 2,388 | 75% | 97.7 min |
| SMX | Santa Maria, CA | Santa Maria | 2,193 | 76.6% | 97.2 min |
| CLD | Carlsbad, CA | Carlsbad | 1,281 | 89.3% | 62.9 min |
| MMH | Mammoth Lakes, CA | Mammoth Lakes | 540 | 80.7% | 90.5 min |
California traffic-scale reading
The standout signal in California is traffic scale: 8,043,906 BTS flights place it #2 of 53 by book size. That busy-book footprint sits beside a 82.3% on-time rate (3.3 pts above the 79% U.S. average), 1,426,892 delayed departures, and a 0.89% cancellation rate.
As a busy-book state, Los Angeles, CA (LAX) in Los Angeles dominates the average with 2,137,032 flights at 82.8% on-time - hub delay mix swings the state figure more than a thin schedule would.
On the recent 24-month tape, delay pressure is lightest in Jan 2025 and heaviest in Dec 2025. On reliability, Carlsbad, CA (CLD) posts the highest on-time rate at 89.3% across 1,281 flights. On-time performance explained.
States With a Similar On-Time Rate
Other U.S. states whose statewide on-time rate is closest to California's 82.3%.
Using California's data
California's statewide on-time book is mid-pack; airport choice and month move more than the headline rate.
- Carlsbad, CA (CLD) is the most reliable airport in California among those with meaningful traffic. CLD profile
- Los Angeles, CA handles the most traffic in the state; its performance weighs heavily on the state average. LAX profile
- See how California compares with every other state that has BTS-tracked airports. All states
State averages are flight-weighted across all reporting airports in the state; a single busy airport can dominate the figure.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Airline on-time performance and operational reliability · 2025