Los Angeles (LAX) to Newark (EWR): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on LAX–EWR. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but May 2025 dropped to 62% — a gap of 28 points. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.8%
- Flights/day
- 14
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 21m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,454 mi
Best airline from LAX to EWR
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 12 min | 0.8% | 1,474 |
| Spirit Airlines | 83% | 12 min | 2.7% | 847 |
| United Airlines | 78% | 19 min | 2.0% | 6,785 |
| JetBlue Airways | 77% | 17 min | 1.7% | 1,084 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from LAX to EWR
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 1 p.m. departures (66%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 81% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 85% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 21 min |
| Friday | 82% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 22 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft27%
- Airline operations26%
- National airspace system45%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from LAX to EWR delayed?
- 21% of LAX–EWR 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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from LAX to EWR?
- Alaska Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 1,474 flights. 4 airlines flew LAX–EWR frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from LAX to EWR?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 1 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 LAX to EWR?
- The scheduled LAX–EWR flight time averages 5h 21m over 2,454 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are LAX to EWR flights cancelled?
- 1.8% 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 LAX to EWR?
- May 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 10,190 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.