Best Time to Fly ATL to LAX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International → Los Angeles International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 78.1% of Atlanta (ATL) to Los Angeles (LAX) flights arrived on time (4,945 scheduled flights). That is in line with the national average of 77.6%.
Spirit Airlines was the most punctual of the 4 airlines on the route at 82.1%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 70.9%.
October has been the best month (85% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (74%).
0.8% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
ATL 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Airlines | 82.1% | 89 min | 0.5% | 213 |
| Delta Air Lines | 79.3% | 55 min | 0.8% | 3,844 |
| American Airlines | 73.3% | 124 min | 0.5% | 380 |
| Frontier Airlines | 70.9% | 63 min | 1.8% | 508 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly ATL to LAX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 10,391 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 21 | |
| 6am–7am | 83.8% | 1.4% | 69 |
| 7am–8am | 87.6% | 0.3% | 872 |
| 8am–9am | 85.3% | 0.8% | 759 |
| 9am–10am | 81.6% | 0.6% | 486 |
| 10am–11am | 81.5% | 1.1% | 1,046 |
| 11am–12pm | 87.5% | 0.5% | 667 |
| 12pm–1pm | 84.2% | 0.2% | 539 |
| 1pm–2pm | 83.0% | 1.7% | 240 |
| 2pm–3pm | 81.4% | 0.2% | 644 |
| 3pm–4pm | 77.2% | 0.9% | 632 |
| 4pm–5pm | 67.1% | 0.2% | 841 |
| 5pm–6pm | 74.6% | 0.9% | 648 |
| 6pm–7pm | 73.0% | 0.6% | 715 |
| 7pm–8pm | 59.1% | 1.8% | 906 |
| 8pm–9pm | 73.9% | 1.2% | 415 |
| 9pm–10pm | 69.2% | 2.7% | 441 |
| 10pm–11pm | 66.8% | 1.1% | 450 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on ATL 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) | 69.0% | -9.4 pts | 0.5% | 217 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 69.7% | -8.6 pts | 0.4% | 451 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 74.3% | -4.1 pts | 1.4% | 1,898 |
| All other days | 78.4% | — | 0.8% | 7,825 |
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).