Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Des Moines (DSM) to Los Angeles (LAX) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 303 departures over the past year, roughly 6 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 71% arrived on time, noticeably below the national average of 78%.
- On-time
- 71%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 37 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.3%
- Flights/day
- 0.83
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 59m
- 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 | 73% | 38 min |
| Tuesday | 72% | 53 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 77% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 71% | 41 min |
| Friday | 70% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 71% | 22 min |
| Sunday | 62% | 74 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft10%
- Airline operations79%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DSM to LAX delayed?
- 29% of DSM–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 37 minutes.
- How long is the flight from DSM to LAX?
- The scheduled DSM–LAX flight time averages 3h 59m over 1,447 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 29% of the time.
- How often are DSM to LAX flights cancelled?
- 0.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What day of the week is most reliable for DSM to LAX?
- Wednesday flights have the best record at 77% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are meaningful — Sunday trails at 62%.
Explore related pages
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Other ways to fly to Los Angeles (LAX)
Related guides
Based on 317 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.