Los Angeles (LAX) to Washington (DCA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on LAX–DCA. October 2025 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 65% — a gap of 25 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 4.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 59m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,311 mi
Best airline from LAX to DCA
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 82% | 17 min | 1.7% | 756 |
| American Airlines | 80% | 15 min | 1.0% | 1,520 |
| Alaska Airlines | 70% | 20 min | 1.1% | 758 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from LAX to DCA
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (84% on-time); avoid 1 p.m. departures (68%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 19 min |
| Tuesday | 82% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 77% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 15 min |
| Friday | 73% | 19 min |
| Saturdaybest | 83% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft31%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system30%
- Weather1%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from LAX to DCA delayed?
- 22% of LAX–DCA 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 LAX to DCA?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 756 flights. 3 airlines flew LAX–DCA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from LAX to DCA?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (84% on-time), while departures around 1 p.m. have the worst (68%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from LAX to DCA?
- The scheduled LAX–DCA flight time averages 4h 59m over 2,311 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are LAX to DCA flights cancelled?
- 1.2% 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 LAX to DCA?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 25-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,034 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.