80% of flights from Honolulu to Los Angeles arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is about the typical U.S. route. The 9 p.m. departures ran on time 88% of the time; the 11 p.m. ones 66%. Most reliable airline: Southwest Airlines (88%). 6% 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 HNL → LAX: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 65% of the time. About 1 in 19 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 76 three hours or more; 0.6% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early80%
- 15–30 min late8.9%
- 30–60 min late5.4%
- 1–2 hours late2.7%
- 2–3 hours late1.2%
- 3+ hours late1.3%
- Diverted0.1%
- Cancelled0.6%
Share of all 5,540 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 1,294 | 85% | 0.5% | −10 min | 5.1% | +87 min | United Airlines |
| American Airlines | 1,182 | 82% | 0.0% | −8 min | 5.6% | +135 min | American Airlines |
| Delta Air Lines | 1,095 | 87% | 0.7% | −10 min | 2.9% | +67 min | Delta Air Lines |
| Alaska Airlines | 1,053 | 65% | 0.6% | +6 min | 7.0% | +49 min | Alaska Airlines |
| Southwest Airlines | 516 | 88% | 0.6% | −7 min | 1.4% | +36 min | Southwest Airlines |
| Hawaiian Airlines | 400 | 63% | 2.0% | +6 min | 12.3% | +71 min | Hawaiian 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 HNL). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | United Airlines | American Airlines | Delta Air Lines | Alaska Airlines | Southwest Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 a.m. | 88% | 90% | 98% | 65% | — |
| 8 a.m. | 91% | — | 88% | — | — |
| 11 a.m. | 86% | — | — | 63% | — |
| noon | 84% | 77% | 70% | 51% | — |
| 1 p.m. | 72% | 84% | 79% | 51% | — |
| 2 p.m. | — | 78% | — | — | — |
| 3 p.m. | 70% | 88% | — | — | — |
| 8 p.m. | — | 87% | — | 77% | — |
| 9 p.m. | 89% | 87% | 92% | — | 92% |
| 10 p.m. | 91% | 82% | — | — | — |
| 11 p.m. | — | 68% | — | — | — |
Last flight of the day
On HNL → LAX, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 0.4% of the time, against 0.6% for its earlier flights, so here the last flight is actually the safer one. It arrived 3+ hours late 0.9% of the time (earlier flights: 1.7%). 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 | 11:40 p.m. | 0.0% | 1.6% | 0.0% | first flight 12:41 p.m. |
| Alaska Airlines | 11:58 p.m. | 0.0% | 0.4% | 0.8% | first flight 8:00 a.m. |
| Delta Air Lines | 9:30 p.m. | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.7% | first flight 7:00 a.m. |
| Hawaiian Airlines | — | 0.8% | 1.7% | 2.5% | — |
| United Airlines | 10:53 p.m. | 0.5% | 0.8% | 0.5% | first flight 7:00 a.m. |
| Southwest Airlines | 8:50 p.m. | 0.7% | 0.0% | 0.0% | first flight 12:55 p.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 (88%). Worst: July (79%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 797 | 79% | 0.3% |
| Tuesday | 775 | 81% | 0.4% |
| Wednesday | 788 | 84% | 0.3% |
| Thursday | 756 | 80% | 0.7% |
| Friday | 800 | 78% | 0.6% |
| Saturday | 817 | 81% | 1.1% |
| Sunday | 807 | 76% | 0.7% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: airline 27 · weather 3 · air traffic/airport 1 · 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA 164 | 7:00 a.m. | 364 | 87% | 0.0% | −10 min | American Airlines |
| DL 422 | 7:00 a.m. | 365 | 94% | 1.1% | −14 min | Delta Air Lines |
| UA 1221 | 7:00 a.m. | 307 | 89% | 1.0% | −12 min | United Airlines |
| AS 810 | 8:00 a.m. | 207 | 69% | 0.0% | +6 min | Alaska Airlines |
| UA 1157 | 1:00 p.m. | 365 | 80% | 0.3% | −6 min | United Airlines |
| AS 802 | 1:10 p.m. | 242 | 56% | 0.0% | +10 min | Alaska Airlines |
| DL 427 | 1:55 p.m. | 365 | 76% | 0.3% | −4 min | Delta Air Lines |
| AA 162 | 3:15 p.m. | 365 | 79% | 0.0% | −7 min | American Airlines |
| AA 144 | 8:30 p.m. | 357 | 87% | 0.0% | −10 min | American Airlines |
| AS 804 | 8:34 p.m. | 232 | 78% | 2.2% | −1 min | Alaska Airlines |
| DL 658 | 9:30 p.m. | 365 | 92% | 0.8% | −11 min | Delta Air Lines |
| UA 1169 | 9:40 p.m. | 364 | 90% | 0.3% | −17 min | United Airlines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 14, 2026 | 15 | 13% | 0 |
| Mar 6, 2026 | 15 | 13% | 0 |
| Aug 16, 2026 | 15 | 20% | 0 |
| Nov 30, 2025 | 15 | 27% | 0 |
| Mar 8, 2026 | 15 | 27% | 0 |
Nearby airport alternatives
Other ways to make the same trip, using airports within 60 miles of Honolulu or Los Angeles. None has been clearly more reliable than HNL → LAX.
| Route | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| HNL → LAX (this route) | 5,540 | 80% | 0.6% |
| HNL → LGB Honolulu to Long Beach | 730 | 81% | 0.3% |
| HNL → ONT Honolulu to Ontario | 446 | 74% | 0.2% |
Questions
How often are flights from HNL to LAX on time?
80% of 5,540 scheduled flights from Honolulu, HI 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 HNL to LAX?
Flights scheduled to leave at 9 p.m. were the most reliable (88% on time). The 11 p.m. departures were the least (66%).
Which airline is most on time from HNL to LAX?
Southwest Airlines: 88% of its 516 flights on the route arrived on time. United Airlines: 85%. American Airlines: 82%. Delta Air Lines: 87%. Alaska Airlines: 65%. Hawaiian Airlines: 63%.
What month has the most delays from HNL to LAX?
July (79% on time). The best month is September (88%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from HNL to LAX more likely to be cancelled?
No, the opposite. Each airline's last HNL–LAX flight of the day was cancelled 0.4% of the time over the past year, against 0.6% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- LAX → HNL (return)
- Honolulu (HNL) delays by hour
- Flights into Los Angeles LAX (LAX)
- United Airlines on-time record
- American Airlines on-time record
- Delta Air Lines on-time record
- Alaska Airlines on-time record
- Southwest Airlines on-time record
- Hawaiian 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.