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Route · MSP → LAX · 2020–2025 BTS data

Minneapolis to Los Angeles

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MSP to LAX (Minneapolis to Los Angeles) ranks #772 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.5%
On-time
+5.5 pts
vs US avg
62 min
Delay when late
13,255
Flights
#772 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.6%

Best Month

Jan 2024 94%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 65%

Distance

1,535 mi

Carriers

4

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 168 59 5 0 DL
Nov 2025 176 32 1 0 DL
Oct 2025 186 31 0 0 DL
Sep 2025 180 13 0 1 DL
Aug 2025 209 29 1 1 DL
Jul 2025 231 49 0 0 DL
Jun 2025 219 43 2 0 DL
May 2025 203 23 1 0 DL
Apr 2025 184 27 0 0 DL
Mar 2025 169 32 0 0 DL
Feb 2025 134 23 0 0 DL
Jan 2025 156 19 0 1 DL
Dec 2024 184 38 0 0 DL
Nov 2024 177 12 0 0 DL
Oct 2024 205 19 0 1 DL
Sep 2024 203 18 0 0 DL
Aug 2024 232 40 0 0 DL
Jul 2024 229 50 18 0 DL
Jun 2024 220 48 0 0 DL
May 2024 203 32 0 0 DL
Apr 2024 183 19 0 0 DL
Mar 2024 166 31 0 0 DL
Feb 2024 139 22 0 0 DL
Jan 2024 156 10 0 0 DL

MSP–LAX seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (91.3%) · weakest: December (75.6%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 75.6%

Strongest calendar month

September

91.3% on-time · ~186 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~211 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

75.6% on-time · ~178 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.6%

28 of 4,512 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

4 of 4,512 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

MSP - Minneapolis

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Minneapolis, MN.

MSP on-time profile

LAX - Los Angeles

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Los Angeles, CA.

LAX on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See MSP and LAX side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare MSP vs LAX

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among MSP departures

From MSP, this corridor sits with 57 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 99 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (42 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Los Angeles · fleet on-time rank #1407 of 4927.

What the Data Says About MSP to LAX

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Minneapolis to Los Angeles (MSP to LAX) running a 84.5% on-time rate over 13,255 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 61.9 minutes. The 1,535-mile corridor is served by 4 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.6% of 4,512 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Jan 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 65% - a 29-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, MSP–LAX peaks in September at 91.3% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~211 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 75.6%, a 15.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does MSP to LAX rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, MSP to LAX ranks #772 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from MSP to LAX? ▼
Flights from Minneapolis to Los Angeles have a 84.5% on-time rate based on 13,255 flights. The average delay is 61.9 minutes. The best recent month was Jan 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for MSP to LAX? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (28 of 4,512 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from MSP to LAX? ▼
The flight distance from Minneapolis (MSP) to Los Angeles (LAX) is approximately 1,535 miles. This route is served by 4 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from MSP to LAX? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Jan 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (65% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

MSP Airport

Minneapolis
LAX Airport

Los Angeles
Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using MSP–LAX data

MSP–LAX runs 5.5 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare MSP and LAX airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MSP airport
  • If your dates flex, September (91.3% on-time) beats December (75.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.5% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.