Denver (DEN) to Los Angeles (LAX): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly DEN to LAX matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 88% on-time in September 2024 to just 67% in June 2026. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 68%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.5%
- Flights/day
- 21
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 35m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 862 mi
Best airline from DEN to LAX
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 82% | 12 min | 0.2% | 6,557 |
| Delta Air Lines | 81% | 17 min | 1.4% | 1,672 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 81% | 17 min | 0.4% | 2,459 |
| Frontier Airlines | 78% | 15 min | 0.8% | 1,500 |
| Southwest Airlines | 72% | 16 min | 0.4% | 4,095 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DEN to LAX
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (65%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 81% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 14 min |
| Friday | 77% | 15 min |
| Saturdaybest | 82% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 17 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft44%
- Airline operations40%
- National airspace system13%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DEN to LAX delayed?
- 21% of DEN–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 14 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DEN to LAX?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 6,557 flights. 5 airlines flew DEN–LAX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DEN to LAX?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (65%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DEN to LAX?
- The scheduled DEN–LAX flight time averages 2h 35m over 862 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are DEN to LAX flights cancelled?
- 0.5% 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 DEN to LAX?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 67% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 22-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 16,283 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.