Charlotte (CLT) to Los Angeles (LAX): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly CLT to LAX matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 90% on-time in October 2024 to just 55% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.3%
- Flights/day
- 6.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 16m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,125 mi
Best airline from CLT to LAX
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 15 min | 0.9% | 4,984 |
| Spirit Airlines | 61% | 27 min | 10.6% | 208 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from CLT to LAX
Aim for departures around 10 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 11 p.m. departures (15%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 74% | 17 min |
| Tuesday | 79% | 15 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 79% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 14 min |
| Friday | 77% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 20 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft40%
- Airline operations35%
- National airspace system16%
- Weather9%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from CLT to LAX delayed?
- 23% of CLT–LAX flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from CLT to LAX?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 4,984 flights. 2 airlines flew CLT–LAX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from CLT to LAX?
- Departures around 10 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 11 p.m. have the worst (15%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from CLT to LAX?
- The scheduled CLT–LAX flight time averages 5h 16m over 2,125 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are CLT to LAX flights cancelled?
- 1.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from CLT to LAX?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 35-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from CLT
Based on 5,192 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.