Los Angeles (LAX) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly LAX to IAH matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 94% on-time in September 2024 to just 72% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 85% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 85%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 11 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 14
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 20m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,379 mi
Best airline from LAX to IAH
5 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% | 7,124 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 85% | 11 min | 0.5% | 801 |
| Delta Air Lines | 84% | 12 min | 1.4% | 1,357 |
| Spirit Airlines | 81% | 16 min | 1.6% | 1,364 |
| Frontier Airlines | 63% | 28 min | 2.0% | 559 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from LAX to IAH
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (73%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 85% | 12 min |
| Tuesday | 86% | 9 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 86% | 10 min |
| Thursday | 86% | 9 min |
| Friday | 84% | 11 min |
| Saturday | 83% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 83% | 12 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft38%
- Airline operations33%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from LAX to IAH delayed?
- 15% of LAX–IAH 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 11 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from LAX to IAH?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 7,124 flights. 5 airlines flew LAX–IAH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from LAX to IAH?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (73%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from LAX to IAH?
- The scheduled LAX–IAH flight time averages 3h 20m over 1,379 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 15% of the time.
- How often are LAX to IAH 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 LAX to IAH?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 72% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 22-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 11,205 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.