80% of flights from Raleigh to Los Angeles arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is about the typical U.S. route. The 7 a.m. departures ran on time 90% of the time; the 6 p.m. ones 74%. Most reliable airline: American Airlines (80%). 8% 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 RDU → LAX: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 58% of the time. About 1 in 14 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 61 three hours or more; 0.8% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early80%
- 15–30 min late7.4%
- 30–60 min late5.1%
- 1–2 hours late3.7%
- 2–3 hours late1.6%
- 3+ hours late1.6%
- Diverted0.3%
- Cancelled0.8%
Share of all 788 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 | 423 | 80% | 0.7% | −10 min | 8.7% | +122 min | American Airlines |
| Delta Air Lines | 365 | 79% | 0.8% | −6 min | 4.9% | +67 min | Delta Air Lines |
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 RDU). 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | 87% | — |
| 5 p.m. | — | 79% |
| 6 p.m. | 76% | 69% |
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: October (88%). Worst: May (76%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 120 | 76% | 0.8% |
| Tuesday | 102 | 79% | 0.0% |
| Wednesday | 98 | — | — |
| Thursday | 120 | 83% | 0.0% |
| Friday | 123 | 81% | 1.6% |
| Saturday | 104 | 77% | 1.0% |
| Sunday | 121 | 78% | 1.7% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: weather 4 · airline 2
Month by month
Not enough months with data to draw a trend.
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 23, 2026 | 3 | 0% | 0 |
| Jul 6, 2026 | 3 | 0% | 0 |
| Jul 11, 2026 | 3 | 33% | 0 |
| Jul 20, 2026 | 3 | 33% | 0 |
| Jul 18, 2026 | 3 | 33% | 0 |
Questions
How often are flights from RDU to LAX on time?
80% of 788 scheduled flights from Raleigh/Durham, NC to Los Angeles, CA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 0.8% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly RDU to LAX?
Flights scheduled to leave at 7 a.m. were the most reliable (90% on time). The 6 p.m. departures were the least (74%).
Which airline is most on time from RDU to LAX?
American Airlines: 80% of its 423 flights on the route arrived on time. Delta Air Lines: 79%.
What month has the most delays from RDU to LAX?
May (76% on time). The best month is October (88%), over 2023–2026.
Related
- LAX → RDU (return)
- Raleigh-Durham (RDU) delays by hour
- Flights into Los Angeles LAX (LAX)
- American Airlines on-time record
- Delta Air Lines 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.