Pittsburgh (PIT) to Los Angeles (LAX): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on PIT–LAX. August 2025 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 55% — a gap of 37 points. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 28 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 1.2
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 15m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,136 mi
Best airline from PIT to LAX
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 86% | 17 min | 0.0% | 125 |
| American Airlines | 76% | 31 min | 0.5% | 419 |
| Spirit Airlines | 70% | 30 min | 6.0% | 100 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PIT to LAX
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (81% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (63%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 38 min |
| Tuesday | 79% | 31 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 27 min |
| Thursdaybest | 82% | 19 min |
| Friday | 79% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 68% | 41 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 28 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft53%
- Airline operations24%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PIT to LAX delayed?
- 23% of PIT–LAX 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 28 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PIT to LAX?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 125 flights. 3 airlines flew PIT–LAX frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PIT to LAX?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (81% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (63%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PIT to LAX?
- The scheduled PIT–LAX flight time averages 5h 15m over 2,136 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are PIT to LAX flights cancelled?
- 1.2% 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 PIT to LAX?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was August 2025 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 37-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 644 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.