Dallas (DAL) to Los Angeles (LAX): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DAL–LAX. August 2024 flights landed on schedule 88% of the time, but June 2026 dropped to 46% — a gap of 42 points. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 59%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 4.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 21m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,246 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DAL to LAX
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (52%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 74% | 15 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 77% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 16 min |
| Friday | 74% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 73% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 68% | 22 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft52%
- Airline operations36%
- National airspace system9%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DAL to LAX delayed?
- 27% of DAL–LAX flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 16 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DAL to LAX?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 10 p.m. have the worst (52%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DAL to LAX?
- The scheduled DAL–LAX flight time averages 3h 21m over 1,246 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 27% of the time.
- How often are DAL to LAX flights cancelled?
- 0.9% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DAL to LAX?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 46% of arrivals on time. The best was August 2024 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 42-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,215 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.