Detroit (DTW) to Los Angeles (LAX): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DTW–LAX. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 63% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 74%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.8%
- Flights/day
- 6.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 60m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,979 mi
Best airline from DTW to LAX
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 84% | 11 min | 0.8% | 1,317 |
| Delta Air Lines | 79% | 14 min | 0.8% | 4,186 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DTW to LAX
Aim for departures around 1 p.m. (91% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (66%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 15 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 10 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 85% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 13 min |
| Friday | 79% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 82% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 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 aircraft21%
- Airline operations56%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather3%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DTW to LAX delayed?
- 20% of DTW–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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DTW to LAX?
- Spirit Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 1,317 flights. 2 airlines flew DTW–LAX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to LAX?
- Departures around 1 p.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 10 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 DTW to LAX?
- The scheduled DTW–LAX flight time averages 4h 60m over 1,979 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are DTW to LAX flights cancelled?
- 0.8% 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 DTW to LAX?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 63% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 5,506 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.