New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly JFK to LAX matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 93% on-time in October 2024 to just 69% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 72%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.5%
- Flights/day
- 28
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 6h 16m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,475 mi
Best airline from JFK to LAX
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 82% | 18 min | 1.6% | 6,806 |
| JetBlue Airways | 79% | 15 min | 1.6% | 7,188 |
| Delta Air Lines | 78% | 17 min | 1.3% | 7,096 |
| Frontier Airlines | 72% | 20 min | 1.1% | 264 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from JFK to LAX
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (66%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 83% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 17 min |
| Friday | 80% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 21 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft30%
- Airline operations40%
- National airspace system26%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from JFK to LAX delayed?
- 20% of JFK–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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from JFK to LAX?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 6,806 flights. 4 airlines flew JFK–LAX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from JFK to LAX?
- Departures around 5 a.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 JFK to LAX?
- The scheduled JFK–LAX flight time averages 6h 16m over 2,475 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are JFK to LAX flights cancelled?
- 1.5% 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 JFK to LAX?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 69% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 24-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 21,354 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.