85% of flights from Los Angeles to San Jose 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 95% of the time; the 7 p.m. ones 59%. Most reliable airline: Delta Air Lines (89%). 5% 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 LAX → SJC: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 59% of the time. About 1 in 25 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 424 three hours or more; 1.0% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early85%
- 15–30 min late5.4%
- 30–60 min late4.7%
- 1–2 hours late3.0%
- 2–3 hours late0.8%
- 3+ hours late0.2%
- Diverted0.0%
- Cancelled1.0%
Share of all 4,669 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 2,238 | 89% | 0.9% | −14 min | 3.2% | +58 min | SkyWest 71%, Delta Air Lines 29% |
| Southwest Airlines | 1,871 | 80% | 0.9% | −8 min | 4.9% | +50 min | Southwest Airlines |
| Alaska Airlines | 411 | 87% | 1.2% | −11 min | 4.4% | +58 min | SkyWest 52%, Horizon Air 48% |
| Frontier Airlines | 138 | 78% | 3.6% | −7 min | 3.6% | +50 min | Frontier Airlines |
| American Airlines | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | American Airlines 60%, SkyWest 40% |
| United Airlines | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | United 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 LAX). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | Delta Air Lines | Southwest Airlines | Alaska Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | — | 95% | — |
| 7 a.m. | 92% | 95% | — |
| 9 a.m. | 92% | 89% | — |
| 11 a.m. | 92% | 89% | — |
| noon | 86% | — | — |
| 1 p.m. | 93% | — | — |
| 2 p.m. | 89% | 89% | — |
| 3 p.m. | 88% | 82% | — |
| 4 p.m. | 87% | — | — |
| 5 p.m. | — | 70% | — |
| 6 p.m. | 86% | 68% | — |
| 7 p.m. | — | 54% | — |
| 8 p.m. | 86% | 65% | — |
| 9 p.m. | 90% | — | 82% |
Last flight of the day
On LAX → SJC, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 0.6% of the time, against 1.0% for its earlier flights, so here the last flight is actually the safer one. It arrived 3+ hours late 0.5% of the time (earlier flights: 0.2%). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | — | 2.3% | 0.8% | 0.7% | — |
| Delta Air Lines | 8:59 p.m. | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1.0% | first flight 7:55 a.m. |
| Southwest Airlines | 8:10 p.m. | 0.3% | 0.5% | 1.1% | first flight 6:35 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: January (89%). Worst: July (82%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 746 | 83% | 1.2% |
| Tuesday | 592 | 90% | 0.7% |
| Wednesday | 581 | 88% | 0.3% |
| Thursday | 723 | 86% | 0.8% |
| Friday | 731 | 82% | 1.0% |
| Saturday | 568 | 87% | 1.1% |
| Sunday | 728 | 80% | 1.7% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: airline 32 · air traffic/airport 10 · weather 3 · security 1
Month by month
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL 3842 | 12:57 p.m. | 239 | 89% | 0.0% | −14 min | SkyWest |
| DL 1438 | 4:00 p.m. | 201 | 85% | 1.5% | −17 min | Delta Air Lines |
| DL 3883 | 6:00 p.m. | 286 | 86% | 0.0% | −12 min | SkyWest |
| F9 2457 | 6:11 p.m. | 138 | 78% | 3.6% | −7 min | Frontier Airlines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 18, 2026 | 9 | 33% | 0 |
| May 17, 2026 | 14 | 43% | 0 |
| May 3, 2026 | 13 | 46% | 0 |
| Dec 27, 2025 | 13 | 46% | 0 |
| Dec 21, 2025 | 14 | 50% | 0 |
Nearby airport alternatives
Other ways to make the same trip, using airports within 60 miles of Los Angeles or San Jose. LAX → MRY has been 3 points more reliable.
| Route | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAX → SJC (this route) | 4,669 | 85% | 1.0% |
| LAX → MRY Los Angeles LAX to Monterey | 842 | 88% | 0.6% |
| LGB → OAK Long Beach to Oakland | 1,568 | 88% | 0.4% |
| ONT → SJC Ontario to San Jose | 1,320 | 86% | 0.1% |
| LGB → SJC Long Beach to San Jose | 1,251 | 86% | 0.2% |
| ONT → OAK Ontario to Oakland | 1,450 | 86% | 0.5% |
| SNA → SJC Orange County John Wayne to San Jose | 2,677 | 85% | 0.8% |
Questions
How often are flights from LAX to SJC on time?
85% of 4,669 scheduled flights from Los Angeles, CA to San Jose, CA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 1.0% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly LAX to SJC?
Flights scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. were the most reliable (95% on time). The 7 p.m. departures were the least (59%).
Which airline is most on time from LAX to SJC?
Delta Air Lines: 89% of its 2,238 flights on the route arrived on time. Southwest Airlines: 80%. Alaska Airlines: 87%. Frontier Airlines: 78%.
What month has the most delays from LAX to SJC?
July (82% on time). The best month is January (89%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from LAX to SJC more likely to be cancelled?
No, the opposite. Each airline's last LAX–SJC flight of the day was cancelled 0.6% of the time over the past year, against 1.0% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- SJC → LAX (return)
- Los Angeles LAX (LAX) delays by hour
- Flights into San Jose (SJC)
- Delta Air Lines on-time record
- Southwest Airlines on-time record
- Alaska Airlines on-time record
- Frontier Airlines on-time record
- American Airlines on-time record
- United 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.