Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 242 departures over the past year, roughly 5 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 73% arrived on time.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 40 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.4%
- Flights/day
- 0.66
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 60m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,447 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DSM to LAX
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 74% | 36 min |
| Tuesday | 74% | 64 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 47 min |
| Fridaybest | 80% | 11 min |
| Saturday | 74% | 24 min |
| Sunday | 59% | 90 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft8%
- Airline operations85%
- National airspace system6%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DSM to LAX delayed?
- 27% of DSM–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 40 minutes.
- How long is the flight from DSM to LAX?
- The scheduled DSM–LAX flight time averages 3h 60m over 1,447 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 27% of the time.
- How often are DSM to LAX flights cancelled?
- 0.4% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What day of the week is most reliable for DSM to LAX?
- Friday flights have the best record at 80% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are meaningful — Sunday trails at 59%.
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Based on 264 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.