Best Time to Fly DEN to LAX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Denver International → Los Angeles International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
7,708 flights were scheduled from Denver (DEN) to Los Angeles (LAX) in the last 12 months, and 79.1% of those that flew arrived on time, 1.5 points above the US average of 77.6%.
Among 5 airlines, United Airlines led with 84.3% on time and Southwest Airlines was last with 68.5%.
Over 24 months, Saturday was the most reliable day (82% on time) and June the worst month (68%).
The cancellation rate was 0.5% (US average 1.8%).
DEN 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 | 84.3% | 56 min | 0.0% | 3,077 |
| Frontier Airlines | 82.3% | 71 min | 0.4% | 782 |
| Delta Air Lines | 81.2% | 94 min | 1.5% | 746 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 79.3% | 80 min | 0.8% | 1,200 |
| Southwest Airlines | 68.5% | 49 min | 0.6% | 1,903 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DEN to LAX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 15,614 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 95.8% | 0.0% | 165 |
| 6am–7am | 90.8% | 0.4% | 1,536 |
| 7am–8am | 89.4% | 0.2% | 919 |
| 8am–9am | 88.8% | 0.4% | 683 |
| 9am–10am | 86.2% | 0.0% | 650 |
| 10am–11am | 89.7% | 0.1% | 709 |
| 11am–12pm | 85.4% | 0.1% | 1,163 |
| 12pm–1pm | 85.4% | 0.9% | 994 |
| 1pm–2pm | 83.7% | 0.0% | 1,532 |
| 2pm–3pm | 69.6% | 0.0% | 217 |
| 3pm–4pm | 79.0% | 0.3% | 594 |
| 4pm–5pm | 76.8% | 0.1% | 677 |
| 5pm–6pm | 75.8% | 0.1% | 885 |
| 6pm–7pm | 64.4% | 0.8% | 899 |
| 7pm–8pm | 68.5% | 0.9% | 1,607 |
| 8pm–9pm | 66.5% | 0.1% | 820 |
| 9pm–10pm | 66.4% | 0.1% | 799 |
| 10pm–11pm | 66.5% | 1.1% | 761 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 4 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DEN 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) | 79.1% | -2.5 pts | 0.3% | 302 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 71.3% | -10.2 pts | 0.2% | 639 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 70.8% | -10.8 pts | 0.8% | 2,696 |
| All other days | 81.6% | — | 0.3% | 11,977 |
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).