Best Time to Fly IAH to LAX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
George Bush Intercontinental/Houston → Los Angeles International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
5,220 flights were scheduled from Houston (IAH) to Los Angeles (LAX) in the last 12 months, and 83.9% of those that flew arrived on time, 6.3 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Delta Air Lines was the most punctual of the 5 airlines on the route at 87.8%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 73.6%.
September has been the best month (89% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (82%).
0.5% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
IAH 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 87.8% | 72 min | 1.1% | 646 |
| United Airlines | 84.9% | 56 min | 0.3% | 3,439 |
| Spirit Airlines | 81.7% | 71 min | 1.3% | 394 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 79.5% | 76 min | 0.5% | 408 |
| Frontier Airlines | 73.6% | 60 min | 0.9% | 332 |
| American Airlines | Limited data | 1 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly IAH to LAX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 10,730 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 96.5% | 0.0% | 373 |
| 6am–7am | 94.6% | 0.5% | 1,007 |
| 7am–8am | 91.8% | 0.4% | 1,126 |
| 8am–9am | 95.8% | 0.0% | 71 |
| 9am–10am | 86.3% | 0.8% | 509 |
| 10am–11am | 86.7% | 1.5% | 343 |
| 11am–12pm | 70.2% | 1.3% | 309 |
| 12pm–1pm | 86.8% | 0.9% | 902 |
| 1pm–2pm | Limited data | 22 | |
| 2pm–3pm | 86.4% | 0.1% | 708 |
| 3pm–4pm | 85.2% | 0.0% | 162 |
| 4pm–5pm | 81.3% | 0.7% | 1,556 |
| 5pm–6pm | 82.6% | 0.0% | 110 |
| 6pm–7pm | 79.4% | 0.5% | 746 |
| 7pm–8pm | 75.4% | 0.4% | 1,087 |
| 8pm–9pm | 75.4% | 1.6% | 545 |
| 9pm–10pm | 81.4% | 1.2% | 562 |
| 10pm–11pm | 82.4% | 0.7% | 571 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 21 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on IAH 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) | 80.5% | -5.0 pts | 0.0% | 211 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 80.6% | -4.9 pts | 1.1% | 468 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 80.0% | -5.5 pts | 0.9% | 1,769 |
| All other days | 85.5% | — | 0.6% | 8,282 |
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).