61% of flights from New York to Des Moines arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is worse than the typical U.S. route. Most reliable airline: Delta Air Lines (62%). 22% 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 LGA → DSM: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 42% of the time. About 1 in 6 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 42 three hours or more; 5.1% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early61%
- 15–30 min late8.5%
- 30–60 min late8.8%
- 1–2 hours late9.7%
- 2–3 hours late3.5%
- 3+ hours late2.4%
- Diverted1.4%
- Cancelled5.1%
Share of all 719 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 | 459 | 62% | 5.2% | −2 min | 15.9% | +84 min | Endeavor Air |
| American Airlines | 260 | 58% | 5.0% | −2 min | 15.0% | +69 min | Republic Airways |
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 LGA). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | Delta Air Lines | American Airlines |
|---|---|---|
| 5 p.m. | 56% | 63% |
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: October (85%). Worst: July (53%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 119 | 59% | 6.7% |
| Tuesday | 118 | 69% | 4.2% |
| Wednesday | 117 | 62% | 0.0% |
| Thursday | 115 | 50% | 7.8% |
| Friday | 82 | — | — |
| Saturday | 53 | — | — |
| Sunday | 115 | 56% | 8.7% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: air traffic/airport 20 · weather 11 · airline 6
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DL 4904 | 5:15 p.m. | 349 | 58% | 6.0% | +1 min | Endeavor Air |
| AA 4395 | 5:40 p.m. | 260 | 58% | 5.0% | −2 min | Republic Airways |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 9, 2025 | 3 | 0% | 0 |
| Dec 14, 2025 | 3 | 0% | 1 |
| Oct 13, 2025 | 3 | 0% | 0 |
| Oct 30, 2025 | 3 | 0% | 1 |
| Oct 9, 2025 | 3 | 0% | 0 |
Questions
How often are flights from LGA to DSM on time?
61% of 719 scheduled flights from New York, NY to Des Moines, IA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 5.1% were cancelled.
Which airline is most on time from LGA to DSM?
Delta Air Lines: 62% of its 459 flights on the route arrived on time. American Airlines: 58%.
What month has the most delays from LGA to DSM?
July (53% on time). The best month is October (85%), over 2023–2026.
Related
- DSM → LGA (return)
- LaGuardia (LGA) delays by hour
- Flights into Des Moines (DSM)
- Delta Air Lines on-time record
- American 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.