72% of flights from Boston to Los Angeles arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is worse than the typical U.S. route. The 7 a.m. departures ran on time 83% of the time; the 8 p.m. ones 58%. Most reliable airline: United Airlines (76%). 11% 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 BOS → LAX: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 54% of the time. About 1 in 11 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 44 three hours or more; 1.8% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early72%
- 15–30 min late9.5%
- 30–60 min late7.0%
- 1–2 hours late4.7%
- 2–3 hours late2.2%
- 3+ hours late2.3%
- Diverted0.2%
- Cancelled1.8%
Share of all 4,794 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JetBlue | 1,642 | 71% | 2.0% | −3 min | 9.8% | +73 min | JetBlue |
| Delta Air Lines | 1,238 | 72% | 2.2% | −1 min | 9.1% | +74 min | Delta Air Lines |
| American Airlines | 1,183 | 72% | 1.6% | −6 min | 9.5% | +96 min | American Airlines |
| United Airlines | 731 | 76% | 1.1% | −3 min | 7.7% | +71 min | 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 BOS). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | JetBlue | Delta Air Lines | American Airlines | United Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | 80% | 82% | — | — |
| 7 a.m. | 87% | 69% | 83% | — |
| 8 a.m. | — | — | 72% | 80% |
| 9 a.m. | 78% | — | — | — |
| 10 a.m. | — | 82% | 87% | — |
| noon | — | — | 77% | — |
| 2 p.m. | 70% | — | — | — |
| 3 p.m. | 67% | — | — | — |
| 4 p.m. | — | 69% | — | — |
| 5 p.m. | — | 70% | 56% | — |
| 6 p.m. | — | — | — | 64% |
| 7 p.m. | — | — | 64% | — |
| 8 p.m. | 57% | 57% | — | — |
Last flight of the day
On BOS → LAX, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 1.7% of the time, against 1.8% for its earlier flights, about the same. It arrived 3+ hours late 3.5% of the time (earlier flights: 1.8%). 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 | 4:59 p.m. | 1.7% | 3.9% | 1.6% | first flight 7:00 a.m. |
| JetBlue | 8:25 p.m. | 1.7% | 3.6% | 2.1% | first flight 6:00 a.m. |
| Delta Air Lines | 8:30 p.m. | 2.7% | 3.6% | 1.9% | first flight 6:20 a.m. |
| United Airlines | 6:26 p.m. | 0.9% | 2.9% | 1.1% | first flight 6:21 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: March (84%). Worst: February (70%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 725 | 67% | 4.8% |
| Tuesday | 679 | 74% | 2.2% |
| Wednesday | 680 | 76% | 0.7% |
| Thursday | 700 | 72% | 0.4% |
| Friday | 707 | 72% | 0.7% |
| Saturday | 595 | 74% | 1.2% |
| Sunday | 708 | 71% | 2.4% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: weather 47 · airline 31 · air traffic/airport 9
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B6 287 | 6:00 a.m. | 335 | 83% | 1.8% | −9 min | JetBlue |
| DL 479 | 6:15 a.m. | 363 | 77% | 1.9% | −4 min | Delta Air Lines |
| UA 360 | 6:21 a.m. | 156 | 89% | 0.0% | −5 min | United Airlines |
| AA 2455 | 7:00 a.m. | 175 | 84% | 0.6% | −10 min | American Airlines |
| B6 687 | 7:00 a.m. | 172 | 85% | 1.2% | −12 min | JetBlue |
| B6 1487 | 11:00 a.m. | 180 | 74% | 1.1% | −3 min | JetBlue |
| B6 487 | 2:00 p.m. | 297 | 69% | 3.7% | −2 min | JetBlue |
| DL 318 | 4:30 p.m. | 345 | 69% | 2.3% | 0 min | Delta Air Lines |
| AA 1578 | 6:00 p.m. | 198 | 63% | 1.0% | +3 min | American Airlines |
| UA 639 | 6:26 p.m. | 143 | 64% | 0.0% | +2 min | United Airlines |
| B6 387 | 8:25 p.m. | 312 | 63% | 1.6% | +2 min | JetBlue |
| DL 321 | 8:35 p.m. | 284 | 64% | 2.8% | +2 min | Delta Air Lines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2025 | 14 | 0% | 0 |
| Jan 1, 2026 | 13 | 0% | 0 |
| Feb 23, 2026 | 13 | 0% | 13 |
| Jan 26, 2026 | 13 | 0% | 10 |
| Jan 5, 2026 | 12 | 0% | 1 |
Questions
How often are flights from BOS to LAX on time?
72% of 4,794 scheduled flights from Boston, MA to Los Angeles, CA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 1.8% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly BOS to LAX?
Flights scheduled to leave at 7 a.m. were the most reliable (83% on time). The 8 p.m. departures were the least (58%).
Which airline is most on time from BOS to LAX?
United Airlines: 76% of its 731 flights on the route arrived on time. JetBlue: 71%. Delta Air Lines: 72%. American Airlines: 72%.
What month has the most delays from BOS to LAX?
February (70% on time). The best month is March (84%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from BOS to LAX more likely to be cancelled?
Not much. Each airline's last BOS–LAX flight of the day was cancelled 1.7% of the time over the past year, against 1.8% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- LAX → BOS (return)
- Boston Logan (BOS) delays by hour
- Flights into Los Angeles LAX (LAX)
- JetBlue on-time record
- Delta Air Lines 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.