90% of flights from Portland to Santa Ana arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is better than the typical U.S. route. The 7 p.m. departures ran on time 95% of the time; the 10 a.m. ones 87%. 2% of flights arrived more than an hour late or not at all.
How late?
The on-time rate treats a flight 20 minutes late the same as one 5 hours late. Here's the split for PDX → SNA: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 84% of the time. About 1 in 110 flights landed an hour or more late; 1.0% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early90%
- 15–30 min late5.1%
- 30–60 min late3.0%
- 1–2 hours late0.5%
- 2–3 hours late0.4%
- 3+ hours late0.0%
- Diverted0.1%
- Cancelled1.0%
Share of all 1,543 scheduled flights, past 12 months, by arrival time against schedule.
By airline
| Airline | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | 1h+ late | Avg when late | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | 1,543 | 90% | 1.0% | −8 min | 0.9% | +37 min | Alaska Airlines |
Airline = the name on the ticket. Regional flights (e.g. "Delta Connection") count under the ticketing airline, and the operator is listed.
Best time of day to fly
On-time rate by scheduled departure hour (local time at PDX). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
Last flight of the day
On PDX → SNA, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 1.1% of the time, against 0.9% for its earlier flights, about the same. It arrived 3+ hours late 0.0% of the time (earlier flights: 0.0%). It matters more than the numbers suggest. Miss an earlier flight and there's another one that evening; miss the last one and you're usually waiting until morning.
| Airline | Last departure | Last: cancelled | Last: 3h+ late | Earlier: cancelled | Next morning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | 7:59 p.m. | 1.1% | 0.0% | 0.9% | first flight 7:00 a.m. |
Last flight = the airline's last scheduled departure on this route that day, on days it flies the route at least twice; past 12 months. Times are typical scheduled times over the latest three months.
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: June (93%). Worst: December (84%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 232 | 89% | 0.9% |
| Tuesday | 219 | 88% | 0.9% |
| Wednesday | 215 | 89% | 0.5% |
| Thursday | 219 | 90% | 1.4% |
| Friday | 220 | 91% | 1.4% |
| Saturday | 212 | 94% | 0.5% |
| Sunday | 226 | 89% | 1.3% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: airline 14 · weather 1
Month by month
Flight numbers on this route
Regular flights with at least 120 scheduled trips in the past year. Sorted by departure time.
| Flight | Departs | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS 1404 | 7:00 a.m. | 309 | 88% | 0.7% | −8 min | Alaska Airlines |
| AS 588 | 10:38 a.m. | 308 | 89% | 1.0% | −6 min | Alaska Airlines |
| AS 264 | 2:48 p.m. | 277 | 91% | 0.4% | −5 min | Alaska Airlines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 24, 2025 | 4 | 0% | 0 |
| Dec 23, 2025 | 5 | 20% | 1 |
| Oct 14, 2025 | 4 | 25% | 0 |
| Feb 10, 2026 | 3 | 33% | 0 |
| Feb 11, 2026 | 3 | 33% | 0 |
Nearby airport alternatives
Other ways to make the same trip, using airports within 60 miles of Portland or Santa Ana. None has been clearly more reliable than PDX → SNA.
| Route | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDX → SNA (this route) | 1,543 | 90% | 1.0% |
| PDX → LAX Portland to Los Angeles LAX | 4,294 | 86% | 0.6% |
| PDX → BUR Portland to Hollywood Burbank | 1,040 | 86% | 0.8% |
| PDX → ONT Portland to Ontario | 1,066 | 85% | 0.9% |
Questions
How often are flights from PDX to SNA on time?
90% of 1,543 scheduled flights from Portland, OR to Santa Ana, CA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 1.0% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly PDX to SNA?
Flights scheduled to leave at 7 p.m. were the most reliable (95% on time). The 10 a.m. departures were the least (87%).
What month has the most delays from PDX to SNA?
December (84% on time). The best month is June (93%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from PDX to SNA more likely to be cancelled?
Not much. Each airline's last PDX–SNA flight of the day was cancelled 1.1% of the time over the past year, against 0.9% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- SNA → PDX (return)
- Portland (PDX) delays by hour
- Flights into Orange County John Wayne (SNA)
- Alaska Airlines on-time record
- Connecting off this flight? Check the risk
Domestic flights by the airlines that report to the U.S. DOT, plus their regional partners. "On time" means arriving less than 15 minutes after schedule; cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time. Past performance is a guide, not a forecast. Method.