81% of flights from Phoenix to Santa Barbara arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is about the typical U.S. route. The 8 a.m. departures ran on time 94% of the time; the 8 p.m. ones 70%. 8% 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 PHX → SBA: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 53% of the time. About 1 in 14 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 80 three hours or more; 1.0% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early81%
- 15–30 min late6.4%
- 30–60 min late4.3%
- 1–2 hours late4.5%
- 2–3 hours late1.1%
- 3+ hours late1.3%
- Diverted0.1%
- Cancelled1.0%
Share of all 1,432 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 1,424 | 81% | 1.0% | −6 min | 6.9% | +76 min | American Airlines 46%, SkyWest 29%, Envoy 26% |
| Southwest Airlines | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | Southwest 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 PHX). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | American Airlines |
|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | 90% |
| 8 a.m. | 94% |
| 10 a.m. | 85% |
| 11 a.m. | 83% |
| 2 p.m. | 80% |
| 3 p.m. | 77% |
| 4 p.m. | 81% |
| 5 p.m. | 75% |
| 8 p.m. | 70% |
| 9 p.m. | 77% |
Last flight of the day
On PHX → SBA, 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 1.6% of the time (earlier flights: 1.1%). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 8:27 p.m. | 1.1% | 1.6% | 0.9% | first flight 7:33 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: December (83%). Worst: March (75%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 218 | 81% | 1.4% |
| Tuesday | 184 | 88% | 0.5% |
| Wednesday | 191 | 87% | 0.5% |
| Thursday | 212 | 84% | 0.5% |
| Friday | 207 | 74% | 1.5% |
| Saturday | 191 | 81% | 1.6% |
| Sunday | 229 | 76% | 0.9% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: weather 11 · air traffic/airport 3
Month by month
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12, 2025 | 6 | 0% | 0 |
| Sep 26, 2025 | 3 | 0% | 2 |
| Sep 23, 2025 | 3 | 0% | 0 |
| Oct 13, 2025 | 5 | 20% | 0 |
| Jul 1, 2026 | 4 | 25% | 0 |
Questions
How often are flights from PHX to SBA on time?
81% of 1,432 scheduled flights from Phoenix, AZ to Santa Barbara, 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 PHX to SBA?
Flights scheduled to leave at 8 a.m. were the most reliable (94% on time). The 8 p.m. departures were the least (70%).
What month has the most delays from PHX to SBA?
March (75% on time). The best month is December (83%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from PHX to SBA more likely to be cancelled?
Not much. Each airline's last PHX–SBA 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
- SBA → PHX (return)
- Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX) delays by hour
- Flights into Santa Barbara (SBA)
- American Airlines on-time record
- Southwest 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.