Los Angeles (LAX) to Washington (IAD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly LAX to IAD matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 96% on-time in October 2025 to just 70% in July 2025. Across the full period the route averages 86% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 86%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 8 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 6.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 59m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,288 mi
Best airline from LAX to IAD
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 87% | 8 min | 0.6% | 4,794 |
| Alaska Airlines | 83% | 8 min | 0.2% | 416 |
| American Airlines | 76% | 18 min | 0.0% | 116 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from LAX to IAD
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (65%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 86% | 9 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 88% | 6 min |
| Wednesday | 85% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 87% | 8 min |
| Friday | 86% | 9 min |
| Saturday | 83% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 86% | 8 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft41%
- Airline operations36%
- National airspace system23%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from LAX to IAD delayed?
- 14% of LAX–IAD 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 8 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from LAX to IAD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 4,794 flights. 3 airlines flew LAX–IAD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from LAX to IAD?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (65%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from LAX to IAD?
- The scheduled LAX–IAD flight time averages 4h 59m over 2,288 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 14% of the time.
- How often are LAX to IAD flights cancelled?
- 0.6% 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 IAD?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 70% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,326 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.