Best Time to Fly PHL to LAX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Philadelphia International → Los Angeles International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 78.3% of Philadelphia (PHL) to Los Angeles (LAX) flights arrived on time (2,406 scheduled flights). That is 0.7 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Among 2 airlines, American Airlines led with 78.5% on time and Frontier Airlines was last with 71.2%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (81% on time) and August the worst month (69%).
The cancellation rate was 1.4% (US average 1.8%).
PHL 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 | 78.5% | 71 min | 1.4% | 2,339 |
| Frontier Airlines | 71.2% | 68 min | 0.0% | 66 |
| Spirit Airlines | Limited data | 1 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly PHL to LAX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,975 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 87.9% | 0.0% | 33 |
| 6am–7am | 90.2% | 2.1% | 282 |
| 7am–8am | 87.9% | 1.2% | 242 |
| 8am–9am | 85.2% | 1.1% | 541 |
| 9am–10am | 84.6% | 0.5% | 203 |
| 10am–11am | 84.7% | 0.7% | 610 |
| 11am–12pm | 76.9% | 0.0% | 118 |
| 1pm–2pm | 80.8% | 0.4% | 455 |
| 2pm–3pm | 77.4% | 1.9% | 159 |
| 3pm–4pm | 79.5% | 0.2% | 446 |
| 4pm–5pm | 76.7% | 0.0% | 103 |
| 5pm–6pm | 69.6% | 0.6% | 508 |
| 6pm–7pm | 67.0% | 2.5% | 554 |
| 7pm–8pm | 60.2% | 4.3% | 278 |
| 8pm–9pm | 60.6% | 0.6% | 166 |
| 9pm–10pm | 63.9% | 1.8% | 223 |
| 10pm–11pm | 63.0% | 0.0% | 54 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on PHL 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) | 73.8% | -5.8 pts | 0.0% | 81 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 69.7% | -9.9 pts | 0.5% | 187 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 69.3% | -10.3 pts | 2.7% | 1,031 |
| All other days | 79.6% | — | 0.8% | 3,676 |
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).