Kansas City (MCI) to Los Angeles (LAX): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MCI–LAX. January 2025 flights landed on schedule 93% of the time, but June 2024 dropped to 66% — a gap of 27 points. Across the full period the route averages 82% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (91% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 82%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 3.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 36m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,363 mi
Best airline from MCI to LAX
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Linesmost reliable | 90% | 8 min | 1.2% | 1,006 |
| Spirit Airlines | 82% | 20 min | 2.2% | 407 |
| Southwest Airlines | 73% | 15 min | 0.4% | 925 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MCI to LAX
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (60%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 82% | 17 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 87% | 8 min |
| Thursday | 85% | 9 min |
| Friday | 85% | 12 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft54%
- Airline operations33%
- National airspace system11%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MCI to LAX delayed?
- 18% of MCI–LAX 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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MCI to LAX?
- Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 90%, based on 1,006 flights. 3 airlines flew MCI–LAX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MCI to LAX?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (60%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MCI to LAX?
- The scheduled MCI–LAX flight time averages 3h 36m over 1,363 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 18% of the time.
- How often are MCI to LAX flights cancelled?
- 1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from MCI to LAX?
- June 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 66% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from MCI
Other ways to fly to Los Angeles (LAX)
Related guides
Based on 2,393 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.