New York (LGA) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on LGA–DEN. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 59% — a gap of 31 points. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 20 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.0%
- Flights/day
- 13
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 29m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,620 mi
Best airline from LGA to DEN
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 80% | 16 min | 1.4% | 3,982 |
| Delta Air Lines | 73% | 22 min | 2.9% | 2,085 |
| Southwest Airlines | 69% | 22 min | 2.1% | 2,784 |
| Frontier Airlines | 64% | 40 min | 3.8% | 395 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from LGA to DEN
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (57%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 17 min |
| Tuesday | 76% | 18 min |
| Wednesday | 76% | 20 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 21 min |
| Friday | 73% | 21 min |
| Saturdaybest | 77% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft40%
- Airline operations29%
- National airspace system26%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from LGA to DEN delayed?
- 26% of LGA–DEN 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 20 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from LGA to DEN?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 3,982 flights. 4 airlines flew LGA–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from LGA to DEN?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (57%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from LGA to DEN?
- The scheduled LGA–DEN flight time averages 4h 29m over 1,620 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are LGA to DEN flights cancelled?
- 2% 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 LGA to DEN?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 31-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 9,246 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.