Best Time to Fly DTW to LAX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Detroit Metro Wayne County → Los Angeles International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 77.4% of Detroit (DTW) to Los Angeles (LAX) flights arrived on time (2,449 scheduled flights). That is in line with the national average of 77.6%.
Spirit Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 78.6%, while Delta Air Lines trailed at 77.0%.
September has been the best month (90% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (76%).
0.9% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DTW to LAX on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlines | 78.6% | 63 min | 1.4% | 485 |
| Delta Air Lines | 77.0% | 56 min | 0.8% | 1,962 |
| American Airlines | Limited data | 2 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DTW to LAX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 5,214 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 28 | |
| 6am–7am | 90.7% | 0.4% | 260 |
| 7am–8am | 88.0% | 0.0% | 75 |
| 8am–9am | 83.5% | 0.7% | 757 |
| 9am–10am | 89.8% | 0.4% | 247 |
| 10am–11am | 87.2% | 2.1% | 48 |
| 11am–12pm | 80.8% | 0.0% | 52 |
| 12pm–1pm | 83.1% | 0.4% | 732 |
| 1pm–2pm | 90.6% | 0.0% | 53 |
| 2pm–3pm | 83.4% | 0.0% | 205 |
| 3pm–4pm | 78.9% | 0.6% | 360 |
| 4pm–5pm | 79.4% | 0.2% | 496 |
| 5pm–6pm | 94.6% | 0.0% | 37 |
| 6pm–7pm | 76.3% | 0.7% | 774 |
| 7pm–8pm | 77.9% | 0.0% | 145 |
| 8pm–9pm | 71.8% | 0.6% | 675 |
| 9pm–10pm | 68.1% | 2.3% | 218 |
| 10pm–11pm | 68.6% | 0.0% | 51 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 1 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DTW to LAX
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 65.2% | -16.8 pts | 0.0% | 93 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 60.5% | -21.4 pts | 2.2% | 223 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 78.2% | -3.8 pts | 0.7% | 930 |
| All other days | 82.0% | — | 0.5% | 3,968 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).