Best Time to Fly TPA to LAX: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Tampa International → Los Angeles International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 83.9% of Tampa (TPA) to Los Angeles (LAX) flights arrived on time (1,193 scheduled flights). That is 6.3 points above the national average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 3 airlines on the route at 89.9%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 72.4%.
February has been the best month (89% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (78%).
0.9% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
TPA 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 | 89.9% | 69 min | 0.3% | 359 |
| Delta Air Lines | 83.7% | 63 min | 1.5% | 660 |
| Southwest Airlines | 72.4% | 40 min | 0.0% | 174 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly TPA to LAX
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 2,158 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 81.8% | 0.0% | 132 |
| 7am–8am | 88.4% | 1.3% | 851 |
| 8am–9am | 72.1% | 0.0% | 43 |
| 9am–10am | 90.0% | 0.0% | 60 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 14 | |
| 11am–12pm | Limited data | 18 | |
| 12pm–1pm | 89.0% | 0.6% | 156 |
| 1pm–2pm | 76.1% | 0.0% | 46 |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 15 | |
| 4pm–5pm | Limited data | 5 | |
| 5pm–6pm | Limited data | 26 | |
| 6pm–7pm | 84.7% | 1.7% | 301 |
| 7pm–8pm | 77.5% | 1.3% | 478 |
| 8pm–9pm | Limited data | 13 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on TPA 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) | 81.2% | -4.5 pts | 0.0% | 48 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 69.5% | -16.3 pts | 1.0% | 97 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 77.9% | -7.9 pts | 1.2% | 343 |
| All other days | 85.8% | — | 1.1% | 1,670 |
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).