FlightRecord

Des Moines (DSM) to New York (LGA): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Des Moines (DSM) to New York (LGA) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 261 departures over the past year, roughly 5 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 83% arrived on time.

On-time
83%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
13 min
completed flights
Cancelled
2.9%
Flights/day
0.72
last 12 months
Duration
2h 43m
scheduled
Distance
1,031 mi

Best airline from DSM to LGA

2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Republic Airwaysmost reliable83%14 min2.5%601
Endeavor Air83%13 min3.7%354

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for DSM to LGA flights50%75%100%June 2024: 87% on-time (76 flights)87Jun 2024July 2024: 77% on-time (75 flights)77August 2024: 80% on-time (79 flights)80September 2024: 96% on-time (80 flights)96Sep 2024October 2024: 93% on-time (82 flights)93November 2024: 92% on-time (79 flights)92December 2024: 66% on-time (76 flights)66Dec 2024January 2025: 81% on-time (31 flights)81February 2025: 68% on-time (28 flights)68March 2025: 79% on-time (31 flights)79Mar 2025April 2025: 93% on-time (30 flights)93May 2025: 78% on-time (27 flights)78June 2025: 73% on-time (26 flights)73Jun 2025July 2025: 96% on-time (27 flights)96August 2025: 80% on-time (26 flights)80September 2025: 86% on-time (22 flights)86Sep 2025October 2025: 78% on-time (23 flights)78November 2025: 90% on-time (19 flights)90December 2025: 71% on-time (14 flights)71Dec 2025January 2026: 77% on-time (18 flights)77February 2026: 72% on-time (20 flights)72March 2026: 55% on-time (22 flights)55Mar 2026April 2026: 91% on-time (22 flights)91May 2026: 86% on-time (22 flights)86

Best time to fly from DSM to LGA

Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (66%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, DSM to LGA6 a.m.: 90% on-time (77 flights)67 a.m.: 83% on-time (638 flights)78 a.m.: 75% on-time (24 flights)89 a.m.: 96% on-time (22 flights)912 p.m.: 89% on-time (81 flights)121 p.m.: 75% on-time (40 flights)132 p.m.: 66% on-time (60 flights)14scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday81%14 min
Tuesday86%16 min
Wednesdaybest89%6 min
Thursday80%15 min
Friday79%15 min
Saturday86%14 min
Sunday79%14 min

What causes delays on this route

Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.

  • Late-arriving aircraft13%
  • Airline operations55%
  • National airspace system24%
  • Weather9%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from DSM to LGA delayed?
17% of DSM–LGA 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 13 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from DSM to LGA?
Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 601 flights. 2 airlines flew DSM–LGA frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from DSM to LGA?
Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (66%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from DSM to LGA?
The scheduled DSM–LGA flight time averages 2h 43m over 1,031 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 17% of the time.
How often are DSM to LGA flights cancelled?
2.9% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
What is the worst month to fly from DSM to LGA?
March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 41-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 955 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.