FlightRecord

New Orleans (MSY) to New York (LGA): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

New Orleans (MSY) to New York (LGA) effectively runs on two schedules. In January 2026, 91% of arrivals were on time; in June 2025 that fell to 49% — a 41-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.

On-time
73%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
24 min
completed flights
Cancelled
2.7%
Flights/day
3.9
last 12 months
Duration
2h 55m
scheduled
Distance
1,183 mi

Best airline from MSY to LGA

3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Delta Air Linesmost reliable77%21 min3.0%1,449
Southwest Airlines73%16 min2.4%666
American Airlines62%40 min2.4%547

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for MSY to LGA flights50%75%100%June 2024: 76% on-time (98 flights)76Jun 2024July 2024: 75% on-time (89 flights)75August 2024: 73% on-time (88 flights)73September 2024: 88% on-time (86 flights)88Sep 2024October 2024: 85% on-time (90 flights)85November 2024: 85% on-time (109 flights)85December 2024: 80% on-time (118 flights)80Dec 2024January 2025: 77% on-time (116 flights)77February 2025: 71% on-time (136 flights)71March 2025: 69% on-time (156 flights)69Mar 2025April 2025: 78% on-time (120 flights)78May 2025: 68% on-time (123 flights)68June 2025: 49% on-time (117 flights)49Jun 2025July 2025: 64% on-time (119 flights)64August 2025: 78% on-time (119 flights)78September 2025: 86% on-time (116 flights)86Sep 2025October 2025: 68% on-time (120 flights)68November 2025: 70% on-time (114 flights)70December 2025: 59% on-time (119 flights)59Dec 2025January 2026: 91% on-time (115 flights)91February 2026: 76% on-time (117 flights)76March 2026: 62% on-time (123 flights)62Mar 2026April 2026: 68% on-time (120 flights)68May 2026: 67% on-time (124 flights)67

Best time to fly from MSY to LGA

Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (61%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, MSY to LGA6 a.m.: 94% on-time (144 flights)67 a.m.: 92% on-time (91 flights)78 a.m.: 84% on-time (56 flights)89 a.m.: 72% on-time (75 flights)910 a.m.: 82% on-time (357 flights)1011 a.m.: 82% on-time (326 flights)1112 p.m.: 72% on-time (381 flights)121 p.m.: 69% on-time (36 flights)132 p.m.: 61% on-time (336 flights)143 p.m.: 77% on-time (103 flights)155 p.m.: 62% on-time (311 flights)176 p.m.: 66% on-time (239 flights)187 p.m.: 66% on-time (283 flights)19scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday69%22 min
Tuesday77%18 min
Wednesday78%26 min
Thursday73%20 min
Friday69%32 min
Saturdaybest83%15 min
Sunday64%29 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 operations34%
  • National airspace system22%
  • Weather6%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from MSY to LGA delayed?
27% of MSY–LGA 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 24 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from MSY to LGA?
Delta Air Lines has the best on-time record on this route at 77%, based on 1,449 flights. 3 airlines flew MSY–LGA frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from MSY to LGA?
Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (61%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from MSY to LGA?
The scheduled MSY–LGA flight time averages 2h 55m over 1,183 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 27% of the time.
How often are MSY to LGA flights cancelled?
2.7% 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 MSY to LGA?
June 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 49% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2026 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 41-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 2,752 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.