Is 45 minutes enough at SFO? 33% of inbound flights landed too late for it, allowing 30 minutes to reach the next gate. Book 100 minutes to keep the risk under 1 in 10, or 105 in June.
Separately, 1.4% of flights into SFO were cancelled or diverted (1.0% in June). 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 SFO →
Missed-connection risk by layover and month
Share of flights that landed at SFO 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% | 35% | 32% | 39% | 41% | 42% | 39% | 35% | 25% | 26% | 28% | 30% | 39% |
| 50 min | 18% | 27% | 24% | 29% | 31% | 32% | 30% | 26% | 17% | 18% | 20% | 22% | 30% |
| 60 min | 14% | 21% | 19% | 22% | 24% | 25% | 24% | 20% | 12% | 12% | 15% | 17% | 23% |
| 75 min | 10% | 15% | 14% | 15% | 17% | 17% | 17% | 14% | 8% | 8% | 11% | 13% | 16% |
| 90 min | 7% | 12% | 10% | 11% | 12% | 12% | 12% | 10% | 5% | 6% | 9% | 10% | 12% |
| 120 min | 5% | 7% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 6% | 7% | 5% | 3% | 3% | 5% | 6% | 6% |
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 SFO (past 12 months). Delays pile up through the day.
Riskiest flights in
| From | Flights | Miss 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| SBP San Luis Obispo | 1,139 | 31% |
| ACV Arcata | 1,291 | 30% |
| BUR Burbank | 3,217 | 29% |
| SAN San Diego | 7,383 | 29% |
| ONT Ontario | 1,335 | 28% |
| LAS Las Vegas | 6,142 | 28% |
| RNO Reno | 1,980 | 28% |
| DFW Dallas | 4,264 | 27% |
| LAX Los Angeles | 12,104 | 27% |
| PSP Palm Springs | 2,789 | 26% |
| RDM Bend | 1,443 | 26% |
| SEA Seattle | 6,822 | 26% |
Safest flights in
| From | Flights | Miss 60 min |
|---|---|---|
| OGG Kahului | 1,703 | 5% |
| KOA Kona | 1,202 | 8% |
| HNL Honolulu | 2,476 | 9% |
| MCO Orlando | 1,378 | 12% |
| FLL Fort Lauderdale | 1,236 | 13% |
| IAD Washington | 2,688 | 14% |
| IAH Houston | 3,578 | 14% |
| ATL Atlanta | 3,339 | 18% |
| JFK New York | 6,800 | 19% |
| AUS Austin | 2,788 | 19% |
| MIA Miami | 1,740 | 20% |
| PHL Philadelphia | 2,085 | 20% |
Last flights of the day from SFO
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 | 6:25 p.m. | 6.1 |
| OGG Kahului | 7:10 p.m. | 5.6 |
| HNL Honolulu | 7:42 p.m. | 8.2 |
| PSP Palm Springs | 8:19 p.m. | 6.4 |
| BUR Burbank | 8:20 p.m. | 8.7 |
| SNA Santa Ana | 8:51 p.m. | 12.5 |
| SLC Salt Lake City | 8:54 p.m. | 9.3 |
| BOI Boise | 8:59 p.m. | 4.7 |
| PHX Phoenix | 8:76 p.m. | 12.6 |
| DEN Denver | 9:13 p.m. | 16.1 |
| SBA Santa Barbara | 9:23 p.m. | 4.9 |
| LAX Los Angeles | 10:37 p.m. | 36 |
| SAN San Diego | 10:42 p.m. | 21.9 |
| RNO Reno | 10:45 p.m. | 5.1 |
| PDX Portland | 10:52 p.m. | 10.7 |
| SEA Seattle | 10:59 p.m. | 21 |
| LAS Las Vegas | 10:59 p.m. | 17.2 |
| DTW Detroit | 10:59 p.m. | 5.6 |
| IAD Washington | 11:05 p.m. | 7.1 |
| PHL Philadelphia | 11:20 p.m. | 7.2 |
| ORD Chicago | 11:30 p.m. | 17.3 |
| MIA Miami | 11:49 p.m. | 5.3 |
| CLT Charlotte | 11:49 p.m. | 4.4 |
| JFK New York | 11:50 p.m. | 19.4 |
| BOS Boston | 11:58 p.m. | 16.2 |
| EWR Newark | 11:59 p.m. | 11.7 |
| DFW Dallas | 11:59 p.m. | 13.5 |
| IAH Houston | 11:59 p.m. | 9.5 |
| ATL Atlanta | 11:59 p.m. | 9.9 |
| AUS Austin | 11:59 p.m. | 7.9 |
Questions
Is 45 minutes enough for a connection at SFO?
Often, not always. Over the past year 33% of flights into San Francisco landed too late to leave 30 minutes to reach the next gate on a 45-minute layover. With 60 minutes it was 23%; with 90, 12%. Separately, 1.4% of inbound flights were cancelled or diverted; on one booking the airline rebooks you.
How long a layover do I need at SFO?
To keep the risk of a late inbound below 1 in 10, about 100 minutes on an average month and 105 minutes in June, 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.