Los Angeles (LAX) to Philadelphia (PHL): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on LAX–PHL. January 2025 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 64% — a gap of 27 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
- 1.4%
- Flights/day
- 6.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 11m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,402 mi
Best airline from LAX to PHL
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlinesmost reliable | 89% | 6 min | 0.9% | 339 |
| American Airlines | 80% | 17 min | 1.4% | 4,763 |
| Frontier Airlines | 40% | 52 min | 4.2% | 119 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from LAX to PHL
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 10 a.m. departures (68%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 81% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 22 min |
| Friday | 78% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 20 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft45%
- Airline operations39%
- National airspace system16%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from LAX to PHL delayed?
- 21% of LAX–PHL 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 PHL?
- Spirit Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 89%, based on 339 flights. 3 airlines flew LAX–PHL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from LAX to PHL?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 10 a.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 PHL?
- The scheduled LAX–PHL flight time averages 5h 11m over 2,402 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are LAX to PHL flights cancelled?
- 1.4% 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 PHL?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 64% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,221 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.