Houston (IAH) to Los Angeles (LAX): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on IAH–LAX. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 61% — a gap of 31 points. Across the full period the route averages 83% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (90% vs 77%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 83%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 14
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 43m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,379 mi
Best airline from IAH to LAX
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 88% | 12 min | 1.4% | 1,357 |
| United Airlines | 84% | 12 min | 0.7% | 7,128 |
| Spirit Airlines | 82% | 14 min | 1.4% | 1,368 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 82% | 14 min | 0.6% | 802 |
| Frontier Airlines | 71% | 19 min | 1.4% | 559 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAH to LAX
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 1 p.m. departures (67%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 83% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 86% | 10 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 87% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 83% | 10 min |
| Friday | 83% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 15 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft34%
- Airline operations41%
- National airspace system16%
- Weather9%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAH to LAX delayed?
- 17% of IAH–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 12 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from IAH to LAX?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 88%, based on 1,357 flights. 5 airlines flew IAH–LAX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAH to LAX?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 1 p.m. have the worst (67%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from IAH to LAX?
- The scheduled IAH–LAX flight time averages 3h 43m over 1,379 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 17% of the time.
- How often are IAH to LAX flights cancelled?
- 0.9% 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 IAH to LAX?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 31-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 11,215 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.