Airport · CLD · Carlsbad, California
Carlsbad, CA
Carlsbad, CA posts top-5% on-time performance among the 382 tracked U.S. airports, as a smaller regional airport. According to the U.S. DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics, drawn from 1,281 flights (2020–2025); its biggest delay driver is carrier.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 89.3%
- On-time
- Top 5%
- on-time, US airports
- 63 min
- Delay when late
- 0.16%
- Cancelled
Key Performance Metrics
Total Flights
1,281
Best Month
Dec 99.2%
Worst Month
Nov 93.3%
Delayed
137
Cancelled
2
CLD on-time rate vs. the national average
Ahead of the U.S. average across all 382 tracked airports.
Where CLD sits among all 382 tracked airports
CLD's 89.3% on-time rate falls in the 85-90% band, the 116-airport band it shares.
National on-time-rate distribution
- 60-65% 1
1 airport between 60% and 65% on-time
1 airports
- 65-70% 4
4 airports between 65% and 70% on-time
4 airports
- 70-75% 9
9 airports between 70% and 75% on-time
9 airports
- 75-80% 48
48 airports between 75% and 80% on-time
48 airports
- 80-85%
192 airports between 80% and 85% on-time
192 airports
- 85-90%
116 airports between 85% and 90% on-time
116 airports
- 90-95% 12
12 airports between 90% and 95% on-time
12 airports
What this shows CLD is marked in the 85-90% band.
Delay Cause Breakdown
Top delay cause: Carrier. Total delay minutes: 3,381.
CLD - seasonal on-time pattern
Best: December (99.2%) · worst: November (93.3%)
Seasonal Performance Patterns
Monthly averages across all years of data. Best month: December (99.2% on-time). Most delays: November (93.3% on-time).
| Month | Avg Flights | Avg Delayed | Avg Cancelled | On-Time % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| December | 122 | 12 | 0 | 99.2% |
| November | 120 | 19 | 1 | 93.3% |
| October | 124 | 18 | 0 | 93.5% |
| September | 120 | 14 | 1 | 93.3% |
| August | 122 | 12 | 0 | 94.3% |
| July | 122 | 18 | 0 | 93.4% |
| June | 120 | 14 | 0 | 96.7% |
| May | 124 | 9 | 0 | 97.6% |
| April | 120 | 7 | 0 | 98.3% |
| March | 124 | 11 | 0 | 97.6% |
| February | 63 | 3 | 0 | 98.4% |
Cancellation & Diversion Analysis
Flight disruption statistics for Carlsbad, CA.
Cancellation Rate
0.16%
2 of 1,281 flights
Diversion Rate
0.08%
1 of 1,281 flights
Delay Rate
10.7%
137 of 1,281 flights
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of flight data.
| Period | Flights | Dep Delayed | Arr Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 122 | 1 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Nov 2025 | 120 | 8 | 11 | 1 | 0 |
| Oct 2025 | 124 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 1 |
| Sep 2025 | 120 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 0 |
| Aug 2025 | 122 | 7 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 2025 | 122 | 8 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Jun 2025 | 120 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| May 2025 | 124 | 3 | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Apr 2025 | 120 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Mar 2025 | 124 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Feb 2025 | 63 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Top Routes from CLD
Busiest routes to and from Carlsbad, CA.
| Route | Flights | On-Time | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHX (Phoenix) → CLD (Carlsbad) | 641 | 86.9% | 306 mi |
| CLD (Carlsbad) → PHX (Phoenix) | 640 | 91.1% | 306 mi |
Airports With a Similar On-Time Rate
Other U.S. airports nationwide whose on-time rate is closest to Carlsbad, CA's 89.3%.
Other Airports in California
Compare performance with other California airports.
Los Angeles, CA
Los Angeles · 2,137,032 flights
San Francisco, CA
San Francisco · 1,466,784 flights
San Diego, CA
San Diego · 973,807 flights
Sacramento, CA
Sacramento · 592,833 flights
San Jose, CA
San Jose · 546,547 flights
Santa Ana, CA
Santa Ana · 482,186 flights
Oakland, CA
Oakland · 472,036 flights
Burbank, CA
Burbank · 319,148 flights
Keep exploring
More flight data around Carlsbad, CA.
California flight data
Statewide on-time and delay aggregates, plus every reporting airport in California.
View CA data →Airport rankings
See where CLD sits among U.S. airports on on-time rate and average delay.
Best on-time airports →Compare airports
Put CLD head-to-head with another airport on delays and reliability.
Open comparison tool →What the Data Says About CLD
Carlsbad, CA in Carlsbad, California handled 1,281 flights in the Bureau of Transportation Statistics dataset between 2025 and 2025, posting a 89.3% on-time departure rate. Of those flights, 137 experienced delays, 2 were cancelled, and 1 were diverted. The cancellation rate works out to 0.16%, the diversion rate to 0.08%, and the average delay when departures run late is 62.9 minutes. These figures are the baseline for comparing CLD against other airports in the same state and nationally.
Breaking down what drives delays at CLD, Carrier leads the pack. Carrier accounts for 39.8% of total delay minutes, followed by Late Aircraft at 31.2% and NAS (National Aviation System) at 14.9%. Weather contributes 8.0% of delay minutes at this airport, while security holds the smallest share at 6.1%. Travelers often overestimate the weather share; the BTS categorization shows late-arriving aircraft and carrier operations as the larger contributors.
Seasonally, December runs the cleanest at CLD with a 99.2% on-time rate, while November is the roughest at 93.3% - a 6-point swing between best and worst month. Volume peaks in October, when average flights hit 124. The busiest route connecting CLD is to PHX (Phoenix), with 641 flights at a 86.9% on-time rate. Combine these numbers - 89.3% on-time, 62.9-minute average delay, 0.16% cancellation rate, and you have a concrete picture of departure reliability at Carlsbad, CA.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the on-time performance rate at Carlsbad, CA (CLD)? ▼
What is the most common cause of delays at CLD? ▼
What is the average delay time at CLD? ▼
What is the best month to fly from CLD? ▼
What is the worst month for delays at CLD? ▼
How many routes operate from CLD? ▼
What is the cancellation rate at CLD? ▼
Flight Guides
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Using CLD's data
An airport-level on-time rate is a starting point, not a guarantee for your specific flight.
- Check the busiest route from CLD before you book a connection. See top routes
- Travel in December rather than November if your dates are flexible. Seasonal patterns
- Scores vary by airline and route within the same airport; check the specific carrier you're flying. Browse airlines
On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers at this airport, not any single flight or airline.
Related
Source: U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) Airline on-time performance and operational reliability · 2025
Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. Airport figures are computed directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.