Best Time to Fly JFK to LAX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
John F. Kennedy International → Los Angeles International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 77.2% of New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX) flights arrived on time (10,281 scheduled flights). That is in line with the national average of 77.6%.
Among 4 airlines, American Airlines led with 79.9% on time and Frontier Airlines was last with 70.8%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (84% on time) and July the worst month (73%).
The cancellation rate was 2.4% (US average 1.8%).
JFK 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 79.9% | 97 min | 2.5% | 3,267 |
| Delta Air Lines | 77.4% | 68 min | 2.2% | 3,364 |
| JetBlue | 74.8% | 71 min | 2.6% | 3,478 |
| Frontier Airlines | 70.8% | 69 min | 1.7% | 172 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly JFK to LAX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 20,468 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 90.3% | 0.0% | 103 |
| 6am–7am | 88.7% | 1.0% | 1,787 |
| 7am–8am | 84.7% | 1.6% | 1,677 |
| 8am–9am | 83.5% | 1.1% | 1,510 |
| 9am–10am | 83.0% | 1.1% | 1,851 |
| 10am–11am | 84.7% | 1.6% | 440 |
| 11am–12pm | 83.4% | 1.1% | 1,955 |
| 12pm–1pm | 84.0% | 0.8% | 366 |
| 1pm–2pm | 81.8% | 1.1% | 812 |
| 2pm–3pm | 83.1% | 2.0% | 398 |
| 3pm–4pm | 79.9% | 1.7% | 1,733 |
| 4pm–5pm | 78.9% | 1.4% | 1,593 |
| 5pm–6pm | 76.7% | 2.0% | 1,491 |
| 6pm–7pm | 77.3% | 1.9% | 839 |
| 7pm–8pm | 70.6% | 2.4% | 1,454 |
| 8pm–9pm | 71.7% | 1.5% | 959 |
| 9pm–10pm | 70.0% | 2.1% | 1,363 |
| 10pm–11pm | 67.7% | 5.1% | 137 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on JFK 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) | 79.7% | -2.5 pts | 0.5% | 383 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 70.9% | -11.4 pts | 2.1% | 805 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 72.9% | -9.3 pts | 3.2% | 3,627 |
| All other days | 82.2% | — | 1.1% | 15,653 |
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).