Best Time to Fly SAN to LAX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Diego International → Los Angeles International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
2,447 flights were scheduled from San Diego (SAN) to Los Angeles (LAX) in the last 12 months, and 88.7% of those that flew arrived on time, 11.1 points above the US average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 92.2%, while SkyWest Airlines trailed at 88.4%.
August has been the best month (93% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (83%).
0.9% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
SAN 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 92.2% | 70 min | 0.0% | 218 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 88.4% | 75 min | 1.0% | 2,229 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SAN to LAX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,716 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 93.7% | 0.3% | 1,457 |
| 9am–10am | 88.4% | 4.0% | 99 |
| 10am–11am | 86.1% | 0.0% | 921 |
| 11am–12pm | 86.4% | 1.8% | 397 |
| 2pm–3pm | 88.5% | 0.0% | 131 |
| 3pm–4pm | 81.4% | 0.0% | 215 |
| 4pm–5pm | 75.7% | 0.7% | 153 |
| 5pm–6pm | 86.4% | 0.0% | 81 |
| 6pm–7pm | 86.0% | 0.4% | 266 |
| 7pm–8pm | 85.6% | 0.8% | 386 |
| 8pm–9pm | 86.5% | 1.6% | 610 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SAN 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) | 88.6% | +0.5 pts | 0.0% | 79 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 71.4% | -16.7 pts | 3.5% | 145 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 90.7% | +2.6 pts | 0.0% | 837 |
| All other days | 88.1% | — | 0.7% | 3,655 |
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).