83% of flights from Indianapolis to Los Angeles arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is better than the typical U.S. route. The 6 a.m. departures ran on time 86% of the time; the 4 p.m. ones 80%. Most reliable airline: Delta Air Lines (86%). 6% of flights arrived more than an hour late or not at all.
How late?
The on-time rate treats a flight 20 minutes late the same as one 5 hours late. Here's the split for IND → LAX: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 55% of the time. About 1 in 20 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 66 three hours or more; 0.7% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early83%
- 15–30 min late5.9%
- 30–60 min late4.9%
- 1–2 hours late2.2%
- 2–3 hours late1.4%
- 3+ hours late1.5%
- Diverted0.1%
- Cancelled0.7%
Share of all 863 scheduled flights, past 12 months, by arrival time against schedule.
By airline
| Airline | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | 1h+ late | Avg when late | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 507 | 82% | 0.8% | −11 min | 6.3% | +108 min | American Airlines |
| Delta Air Lines | 333 | 86% | 0.6% | −10 min | 3.3% | +76 min | Delta Air Lines |
| Spirit Airlines | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | Spirit Airlines |
| Southwest Airlines | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | Southwest Airlines |
Airline = the name on the ticket. Regional flights (e.g. "Delta Connection") count under the ticketing airline, and the operator is listed.
Best time of day to fly
On-time rate by scheduled departure hour (local time at IND). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | American Airlines | Delta Air Lines |
|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 86% | — |
| 4 p.m. | 79% | — |
| 5 p.m. | 78% | 85% |
Last flight of the day
On IND → LAX, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 0.7% of the time, against 0.0% for its earlier flights, about the same. It arrived 3+ hours late 2.0% of the time (earlier flights: 1.3%). It matters more than the numbers suggest. Miss an earlier flight and there's another one that evening; miss the last one and you're usually waiting until morning.
| Airline | Last departure | Last: cancelled | Last: 3h+ late | Earlier: cancelled | Next morning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 4:16 p.m. | 0.7% | 2.0% | 0.0% | first flight 6:36 a.m. |
Last flight = the airline's last scheduled departure on this route that day, on days it flies the route at least twice; past 12 months. Times are typical scheduled times over the latest three months.
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: October (92%). Worst: July (72%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 142 | 83% | 1.4% |
| Tuesday | 112 | 84% | 0.9% |
| Wednesday | 110 | 85% | 0.0% |
| Thursday | 134 | 87% | 0.0% |
| Friday | 134 | 87% | 0.0% |
| Saturday | 90 | — | — |
| Sunday | 141 | 79% | 1.4% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: airline 3 · weather 3
Month by month
Not enough months with data to draw a trend.
Flight numbers on this route
Regular flights with at least 120 scheduled trips in the past year. Sorted by departure time.
| Flight | Departs | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA 598 | 7:15 a.m. | 199 | 87% | 0.0% | −12 min | American Airlines |
| AA 3201 | 4:21 p.m. | 159 | 79% | 0.6% | −7 min | American Airlines |
| DL 861 | 5:25 p.m. | 300 | 85% | 0.7% | −10 min | Delta Air Lines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 22, 2026 | 3 | 0% | 1 |
| Mar 16, 2026 | 3 | 0% | 0 |
| Nov 30, 2025 | 3 | 0% | 0 |
| Oct 13, 2025 | 3 | 33% | 0 |
| Apr 23, 2026 | 3 | 33% | 0 |
Questions
How often are flights from IND to LAX on time?
83% of 863 scheduled flights from Indianapolis, IN to Los Angeles, CA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 0.7% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly IND to LAX?
Flights scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. were the most reliable (86% on time). The 4 p.m. departures were the least (80%).
Which airline is most on time from IND to LAX?
Delta Air Lines: 86% of its 333 flights on the route arrived on time. American Airlines: 82%.
What month has the most delays from IND to LAX?
July (72% on time). The best month is October (92%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from IND to LAX more likely to be cancelled?
Yes. Each airline's last IND–LAX flight of the day was cancelled 0.7% of the time over the past year, against 0.0% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- LAX → IND (return)
- Indianapolis (IND) delays by hour
- Flights into Los Angeles LAX (LAX)
- American Airlines on-time record
- Delta Air Lines on-time record
- Spirit Airlines on-time record
- Southwest Airlines on-time record
- Connecting off this flight? Check the risk
Domestic flights by the airlines that report to the U.S. DOT, plus their regional partners. "On time" means arriving less than 15 minutes after schedule; cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time. Past performance is a guide, not a forecast. Method.