Is 45 minutes enough at SAN? 27% of inbound flights landed too late for it, allowing 30 minutes to reach the next gate. Book 80 minutes to keep the risk under 1 in 10, or 100 in July.
Separately, 1.7% of flights into SAN were cancelled or diverted (1.7% in July). That isn't a missed connection in the same sense: on one booking the airline rebooks you, though it can still cost you the day.
Check your exact itinerary through SAN →
Missed-connection risk by layover and month
Share of flights that landed at SAN too late for the connection (cancellations not included), pooled over 2023–2026. Read across your travel month.
| Layover | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 40 min | 25% | 27% | 27% | 29% | 31% | 37% | 38% | 36% | 27% | 30% | 27% | 29% | 34% |
| 50 min | 17% | 18% | 18% | 19% | 21% | 26% | 27% | 26% | 17% | 20% | 18% | 20% | 24% |
| 60 min | 12% | 12% | 13% | 13% | 15% | 19% | 20% | 19% | 12% | 14% | 12% | 15% | 17% |
| 75 min | 8% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 10% | 12% | 14% | 12% | 8% | 9% | 8% | 11% | 11% |
| 90 min | 6% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 8% | 10% | 8% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 8% |
| 120 min | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 4% | 4% | 6% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 3% | 4% | 4% |
Counts flights that landed; cancelled and diverted inbound flights are reported separately above. Assumes 30 minutes to get off the plane and reach the next gate, and that the onward flight leaves on time. A terminal change or re-checking bags needs more.
Late in the day is riskier
Share of flights that would miss a 60-minute connection, by scheduled arrival time at SAN (past 12 months). Delays pile up through the day.
Riskiest flights in
| From | Flights | Miss 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| SFO San Francisco | 7,343 | 26% |
| DFW Dallas | 3,738 | 25% |
| LAS Las Vegas | 6,482 | 25% |
| OAK Oakland | 3,464 | 23% |
| ORD Chicago | 3,945 | 19% |
| PHX Phoenix | 6,620 | 19% |
| STS Santa Rosa | 1,166 | 18% |
| MDW Chicago | 1,110 | 18% |
| FAT Fresno | 1,974 | 18% |
| SJC San Jose | 5,620 | 18% |
| SMF Sacramento | 5,646 | 17% |
| AUS Austin | 2,605 | 17% |
Safest flights in
| From | Flights | Miss 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| IAD Washington | 1,402 | 10% |
| LAX Los Angeles | 2,452 | 10% |
| PDX Portland | 1,842 | 10% |
| ATL Atlanta | 2,353 | 11% |
| SLC Salt Lake City | 3,238 | 11% |
| IAH Houston | 1,686 | 11% |
| HNL Honolulu | 1,774 | 11% |
| MSP Minneapolis | 1,300 | 12% |
| EWR Newark | 1,557 | 13% |
| BOI Boise | 1,151 | 13% |
| JFK New York | 2,417 | 13% |
| CLT Charlotte | 1,386 | 14% |
Last flights of the day from SAN
If your inbound runs late and you miss one of these, the next flight is usually the next morning. Typical last scheduled departure over the past three months:
| To | Last departure | Flights / day |
|---|---|---|
| MSP Minneapolis | 4:38 p.m. | 3.5 |
| IAH Houston | 5:15 p.m. | 4.5 |
| PDX Portland | 5:58 p.m. | 5.6 |
| DAL Dallas | 6:10 p.m. | 4.5 |
| HNL Honolulu | 6:30 p.m. | 4.7 |
| BOI Boise | 6:30 p.m. | 3.7 |
| DFW Dallas | 6:45 p.m. | 12.2 |
| SLC Salt Lake City | 7:13 p.m. | 9 |
| AUS Austin | 7:15 p.m. | 7.2 |
| DEN Denver | 8:01 p.m. | 17.3 |
| SEA Seattle | 8:04 p.m. | 14.8 |
| LAX Los Angeles | 8:32 p.m. | 7 |
| RNO Reno | 9:00 p.m. | 5.2 |
| SFO San Francisco | 9:27 p.m. | 22.1 |
| BWI Baltimore | 9:40 p.m. | 3.4 |
| OAK Oakland | 9:42 p.m. | 12 |
| PHX Phoenix | 9:45 p.m. | 18.2 |
| IAD Washington | 9:45 p.m. | 4 |
| STS Santa Rosa | 9:45 p.m. | 4.4 |
| SMF Sacramento | 9:47 p.m. | 16.5 |
| FAT Fresno | 9:57 p.m. | 5.7 |
| JFK New York | 9:59 p.m. | 6.6 |
| BOS Boston | 10:00 p.m. | 6.7 |
| DTW Detroit | 10:15 p.m. | 3.5 |
| SJC San Jose | 10:24 p.m. | 16.4 |
| CLT Charlotte | 10:28 p.m. | 3.7 |
| ATL Atlanta | 10:30 p.m. | 6.2 |
| EWR Newark | 10:30 p.m. | 4.7 |
| LAS Las Vegas | 10:35 p.m. | 17.2 |
| ORD Chicago | 10:45 p.m. | 12.6 |
Questions
Is 45 minutes enough for a connection at SAN?
Often, not always. Over the past year 27% of flights into San Diego landed too late to leave 30 minutes to reach the next gate on a 45-minute layover. With 60 minutes it was 17%; with 90, 8%. Separately, 1.7% of inbound flights were cancelled or diverted; on one booking the airline rebooks you.
How long a layover do I need at SAN?
To keep the risk of a late inbound below 1 in 10, about 80 minutes on an average month and 100 minutes in July, the worst month. Add time if you change terminals or need to re-check bags.
An estimate from past arrival delays, not a guarantee. On one ticket, the airline will rebook you if you misconnect. On separate tickets you're on your own, so leave far more time. Method.