Los Angeles (LAX) to San Diego (SAN): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly LAX to SAN matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 94% on-time in May 2025 to just 72% in October 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
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 6.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 59m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 109 mi
Best airline from LAX to SAN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 86% | 8 min | 0.0% | 220 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 85% | 11 min | 0.7% | 4,682 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from LAX to SAN
Aim for departures around 11 p.m. (97% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (65%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 85% | 10 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 90% | 8 min |
| Wednesday | 85% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 83% | 13 min |
| Friday | 82% | 12 min |
| Saturday | 88% | 7 min |
| Sunday | 82% | 11 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft12%
- Airline operations46%
- National airspace system21%
- Weather21%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from LAX to SAN delayed?
- 15% of LAX–SAN 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 SAN?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 220 flights. 2 airlines flew LAX–SAN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from LAX to SAN?
- Departures around 11 p.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 8 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 SAN?
- The scheduled LAX–SAN flight time averages 59m over 109 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 15% of the time.
- How often are LAX to SAN flights cancelled?
- 0.7% 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 SAN?
- October 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 72% of arrivals on time. The best was May 2025 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 22-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,902 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.