86% of flights from Portland to Los Angeles arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is better than the typical U.S. route. The noon departures ran on time 94% of the time; the 9 p.m. ones 81%. Most reliable airline: Delta Air Lines (90%). 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 PDX → LAX: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 60% of the time. About 1 in 25 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 84 three hours or more; 0.6% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early86%
- 15–30 min late5.7%
- 30–60 min late3.6%
- 1–2 hours late2.1%
- 2–3 hours late0.7%
- 3+ hours late1.2%
- Diverted0.0%
- Cancelled0.6%
Share of all 4,294 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | 1,825 | 85% | 0.4% | −6 min | 2.2% | +45 min | Alaska Airlines 100%, Horizon Air 0%, SkyWest 0% |
| Delta Air Lines | 1,688 | 90% | 0.8% | −14 min | 3.7% | +91 min | Delta Air Lines |
| American Airlines | 562 | 80% | 0.4% | −7 min | 10.0% | +113 min | SkyWest |
| Frontier Airlines | 219 | 81% | 0.9% | −9 min | 6.4% | +57 min | Frontier 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 PDX). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | Alaska Airlines | Delta Air Lines | American Airlines | Frontier Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | — | 92% | 77% | — |
| 7 a.m. | 88% | — | — | — |
| 10 a.m. | 86% | 87% | — | — |
| noon | — | 95% | — | — |
| 1 p.m. | — | 88% | — | — |
| 2 p.m. | 87% | — | — | — |
| 5 p.m. | 86% | 88% | 74% | 75% |
| 8 p.m. | — | 88% | — | — |
| 9 p.m. | 81% | — | — | — |
Last flight of the day
On PDX → LAX, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 0.2% of the time, against 0.7% for its earlier flights, so here the last flight is actually the safer one. It arrived 3+ hours late 1.5% of the time (earlier flights: 1.0%). 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 | 7:00 a.m. | 0.0% | 3.5% | 1.0% | first flight 7:00 a.m. |
| Alaska Airlines | 9:27 p.m. | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.5% | first flight 7:00 a.m. |
| Delta Air Lines | 8:28 p.m. | 0.3% | 1.9% | 1.0% | first flight 6:30 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: September (90%). Worst: December (83%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 698 | 86% | 0.9% |
| Tuesday | 546 | 86% | 0.0% |
| Wednesday | 542 | 89% | 0.2% |
| Thursday | 659 | 85% | 0.3% |
| Friday | 660 | 86% | 0.8% |
| Saturday | 535 | 89% | 0.8% |
| Sunday | 654 | 83% | 1.2% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: airline 22 · weather 4
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 2947 | 6:29 a.m. | 365 | 93% | 0.0% | −12 min | Delta Air Lines |
| AA 6290 | 7:00 a.m. | 302 | 82% | 0.7% | −5 min | SkyWest |
| AS 581 | 7:00 a.m. | 307 | 88% | 1.3% | −2 min | Alaska Airlines |
| AS 695 | 10:30 a.m. | 304 | 86% | 0.3% | −6 min | Alaska Airlines |
| DL 2975 | 10:53 a.m. | 363 | 87% | 3.0% | −13 min | Delta Air Lines |
| DL 2766 | 1:25 p.m. | 362 | 91% | 0.5% | −14 min | Delta Air Lines |
| AS 713 | 2:50 p.m. | 288 | 86% | 0.4% | −6 min | Alaska Airlines |
| F9 4500 | 5:36 p.m. | 210 | 80% | 0.9% | −9 min | Frontier Airlines |
| AS 278 | 5:37 p.m. | 348 | 86% | 0.0% | −6 min | Alaska Airlines |
| DL 2551 | 5:37 p.m. | 347 | 88% | 0.3% | −15 min | Delta Air Lines |
| DL 2459 | 7:55 p.m. | 238 | 89% | 0.0% | −15 min | Delta Air Lines |
| AS 1389 | 9:30 p.m. | 208 | 79% | 0.0% | −3 min | Alaska Airlines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 24, 2025 | 10 | 30% | 0 |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 13 | 38% | 3 |
| Dec 23, 2025 | 13 | 38% | 0 |
| Jan 4, 2026 | 12 | 50% | 1 |
| Nov 2, 2025 | 13 | 54% | 0 |
Nearby airport alternatives
Other ways to make the same trip, using airports within 60 miles of Portland or Los Angeles. PDX → SNA has been 4 points more reliable.
| Route | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDX → LAX (this route) | 4,294 | 86% | 0.6% |
| PDX → SNA Portland to Orange County John Wayne | 1,543 | 90% | 1.0% |
| PDX → BUR Portland to Hollywood Burbank | 1,040 | 86% | 0.8% |
| PDX → ONT Portland to Ontario | 1,066 | 85% | 0.9% |
Questions
How often are flights from PDX to LAX on time?
86% of 4,294 scheduled flights from Portland, OR to Los Angeles, CA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 0.6% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly PDX to LAX?
Flights scheduled to leave at noon were the most reliable (94% on time). The 9 p.m. departures were the least (81%).
Which airline is most on time from PDX to LAX?
Delta Air Lines: 90% of its 1,688 flights on the route arrived on time. Alaska Airlines: 85%. American Airlines: 80%. Frontier Airlines: 81%.
What month has the most delays from PDX to LAX?
December (83% on time). The best month is September (90%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from PDX to LAX more likely to be cancelled?
No, the opposite. Each airline's last PDX–LAX flight of the day was cancelled 0.2% of the time over the past year, against 0.7% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- LAX → PDX (return)
- Portland (PDX) delays by hour
- Flights into Los Angeles LAX (LAX)
- Alaska Airlines on-time record
- Delta Air Lines on-time record
- American Airlines on-time record
- Frontier 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.