Best Time to Fly ORD to LAX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Chicago O'Hare International → Los Angeles International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
7,023 flights were scheduled from Chicago (ORD) to Los Angeles (LAX) in the last 12 months, and 73.0% of those that flew arrived on time, 4.6 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Among 5 airlines, United Airlines led with 77.2% on time and Frontier Airlines was last with 64.2%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (81% on time) and June the worst month (69%).
The cancellation rate was 1.4% (US average 1.8%).
ORD 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 | 77.2% | 70 min | 0.7% | 3,387 |
| Delta Air Lines | 75.5% | 66 min | 0.0% | 151 |
| Spirit Airlines | 73.0% | 88 min | 4.3% | 186 |
| American Airlines | 68.8% | 78 min | 2.0% | 3,062 |
| Frontier Airlines | 64.2% | 75 min | 4.6% | 237 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly ORD to LAX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 13,960 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12am–1am | Limited data | 2 | |
| 5am–6am | 93.8% | 0.0% | 64 |
| 6am–7am | 86.2% | 1.4% | 1,034 |
| 7am–8am | 88.9% | 0.6% | 1,282 |
| 8am–9am | 82.4% | 2.0% | 964 |
| 9am–10am | 79.8% | 0.9% | 974 |
| 10am–11am | 82.8% | 0.8% | 890 |
| 11am–12pm | 76.0% | 0.5% | 410 |
| 12pm–1pm | 83.0% | 1.0% | 488 |
| 1pm–2pm | 81.8% | 0.1% | 843 |
| 2pm–3pm | 80.7% | 0.5% | 803 |
| 3pm–4pm | 75.2% | 0.8% | 1,099 |
| 4pm–5pm | 67.8% | 1.6% | 555 |
| 5pm–6pm | 74.8% | 0.5% | 586 |
| 6pm–7pm | 68.0% | 1.3% | 1,030 |
| 7pm–8pm | 62.0% | 1.6% | 898 |
| 8pm–9pm | 65.4% | 1.8% | 1,075 |
| 9pm–10pm | 67.7% | 1.8% | 710 |
| 10pm–11pm | 58.8% | 2.9% | 246 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 7 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on ORD 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) | 66.9% | -12.1 pts | 4.1% | 267 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 71.6% | -7.4 pts | 1.0% | 598 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 69.4% | -9.6 pts | 2.0% | 2,789 |
| All other days | 79.0% | — | 0.8% | 10,306 |
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).