84% of flights from San Jose to Los Angeles arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is better than the typical U.S. route. The 6 a.m. departures ran on time 95% of the time; the 7 p.m. ones 63%. Most reliable airline: Delta Air Lines (91%). 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 SJC → LAX: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 61% of the time. About 1 in 25 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 203 three hours or more; 0.9% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early84%
- 15–30 min late6.1%
- 30–60 min late4.8%
- 1–2 hours late2.7%
- 2–3 hours late0.9%
- 3+ hours late0.5%
- Diverted0.0%
- Cancelled0.9%
Share of all 4,669 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 | 2,238 | 91% | 0.9% | −15 min | 2.5% | +74 min | SkyWest 71%, Delta Air Lines 29% |
| Southwest Airlines | 1,867 | 76% | 0.6% | −3 min | 5.7% | +47 min | Southwest Airlines |
| Alaska Airlines | 415 | 85% | 1.5% | −7 min | 4.3% | +61 min | SkyWest 52%, Horizon Air 48% |
| Frontier Airlines | 138 | 72% | 4.3% | −3 min | 4.3% | +43 min | Frontier Airlines |
| American Airlines | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | American Airlines 60%, SkyWest 40% |
| United Airlines | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | 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 SJC). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | Delta Air Lines | Southwest Airlines | Alaska Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6 a.m. | — | 98% | 91% |
| 7 a.m. | 94% | 83% | — |
| 8 a.m. | — | 95% | — |
| 9 a.m. | 91% | 89% | — |
| 10 a.m. | — | 88% | — |
| 11 a.m. | 94% | 83% | — |
| 1 p.m. | 90% | — | — |
| 2 p.m. | 90% | 65% | — |
| 3 p.m. | 90% | — | — |
| 4 p.m. | 92% | 76% | — |
| 5 p.m. | 92% | 67% | — |
| 6 p.m. | 89% | 64% | — |
| 7 p.m. | — | 59% | — |
| 8 p.m. | 92% | 51% | — |
Last flight of the day
On SJC → LAX, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 0.7% of the time, against 0.9% for its earlier flights, about the same. It arrived 3+ hours late 0.2% of the time (earlier flights: 0.5%). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska Airlines | — | 1.6% | 0.8% | 1.4% | — |
| Delta Air Lines | 8:19 p.m. | 0.8% | 0.3% | 0.9% | first flight 7:00 a.m. |
| Southwest Airlines | 8:20 p.m. | 0.3% | 0.0% | 0.7% | first flight 6:50 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: January (90%). Worst: July (80%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 747 | 82% | 1.1% |
| Tuesday | 594 | 90% | 0.7% |
| Wednesday | 581 | 88% | 0.2% |
| Thursday | 723 | 84% | 0.8% |
| Friday | 731 | 79% | 1.0% |
| Saturday | 569 | 87% | 1.4% |
| Sunday | 724 | 81% | 1.4% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: airline 31 · air traffic/airport 9 · 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 3842 | 2:59 p.m. | 203 | 91% | 0.0% | −13 min | SkyWest |
| DL 1438 | 6:12 p.m. | 201 | 89% | 1.5% | −18 min | Delta Air Lines |
| DL 3883 | 8:05 p.m. | 271 | 91% | 0.0% | −15 min | SkyWest |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 16, 2026 | 12 | 25% | 0 |
| Aug 9, 2026 | 13 | 38% | 1 |
| Dec 24, 2025 | 10 | 40% | 0 |
| Jun 26, 2026 | 15 | 47% | 0 |
| Dec 19, 2025 | 14 | 50% | 0 |
Nearby airport alternatives
Other ways to make the same trip, using airports within 60 miles of San Jose or Los Angeles. None has been clearly more reliable than SJC → LAX.
| Route | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| SJC → LAX (this route) | 4,669 | 84% | 0.9% |
| MRY → LAX Monterey to Los Angeles LAX | 839 | 86% | 0.6% |
| SJC → SNA San Jose to Orange County John Wayne | 2,741 | 85% | 0.8% |
| OAK → LGB Oakland to Long Beach | 1,568 | 85% | 0.3% |
| SJC → LGB San Jose to Long Beach | 1,251 | 84% | 0.2% |
| OAK → SNA Oakland to Orange County John Wayne | 2,356 | 84% | 0.9% |
| SJC → BUR San Jose to Hollywood Burbank | 2,137 | 83% | 1.3% |
Questions
How often are flights from SJC to LAX on time?
84% of 4,669 scheduled flights from San Jose, CA to Los Angeles, CA arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 0.9% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly SJC to LAX?
Flights scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. were the most reliable (95% on time). The 7 p.m. departures were the least (63%).
Which airline is most on time from SJC to LAX?
Delta Air Lines: 91% of its 2,238 flights on the route arrived on time. Southwest Airlines: 76%. Alaska Airlines: 85%. Frontier Airlines: 72%.
What month has the most delays from SJC to LAX?
July (80% on time). The best month is January (90%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from SJC to LAX more likely to be cancelled?
Not much. Each airline's last SJC–LAX flight of the day was cancelled 0.7% of the time over the past year, against 0.9% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- LAX → SJC (return)
- San Jose (SJC) delays by hour
- Flights into Los Angeles LAX (LAX)
- Delta Air Lines on-time record
- Southwest Airlines on-time record
- Alaska Airlines on-time record
- Frontier Airlines 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.