PlainFlights

Route · PHL → LAX · 2020–2025 BTS data

Philadelphia to Los Angeles

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), PHL to LAX (Philadelphia to Los Angeles) ranks #788 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

81.1%
On-time
+2.1 pts
vs US avg
72 min
Delay when late
13,149
Flights
#788 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.9%

Best Month

Apr 2024 89%

Worst Month

Aug 2024 63%

Distance

2,402 mi

Carriers

6

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 175 58 1 1 AA
Nov 2025 169 31 0 1 NK,AA
Oct 2025 243 40 0 1 AA,F9
Sep 2025 211 27 1 0 F9,AA
Aug 2025 252 61 1 0 AA,F9
Jul 2025 263 76 9 0 AA,F9,NK
Jun 2025 266 83 5 0 AA,F9,NK
May 2025 221 49 1 1 AA,F9,NK
Apr 2025 201 54 0 1 NK,AA
Mar 2025 184 27 2 0 AA,NK
Feb 2025 158 37 4 0 AA,NK
Jan 2025 181 36 1 2 AA,NK
Dec 2024 207 40 0 0 AA,NK
Nov 2024 203 32 0 0 NK,AA
Oct 2024 217 35 0 1 NK,AA
Sep 2024 212 50 0 0 NK,AA
Aug 2024 256 94 5 2 AA,NK
Jul 2024 246 64 6 0 AA,NK
Jun 2024 236 66 4 0 AA,NK
May 2024 216 49 0 0 AA,NK
Apr 2024 207 23 0 0 AA,NK
Mar 2024 186 30 2 0 AA,NK
Feb 2024 191 37 0 0 AA,NK
Jan 2024 202 47 2 0 AA,NK

PHL–LAX seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (86.3%) · weakest: June (73.5%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 78.1%

Strongest calendar month

October

86.3% on-time · ~194 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~211 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

73.5% on-time · ~193 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.9%

44 of 5,103 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

10 of 5,103 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among PHL departures

From PHL, this corridor sits with 60 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 65 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (4 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 1 below 75%). Destination: Los Angeles · fleet on-time rank #2715 of 4927.

What the Data Says About PHL to LAX

13,149 tracked flights put the PHL to LAX pairing (Philadelphia to Los Angeles) at a 81.1% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 72.2 minutes on average. Across the 2,402-mile route and its 6 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 0.9% cancelled and 0.2% diverted (5,103 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Apr 2024 posted the strongest performance at 89% on-time, while Aug 2024 came in at just 63% - a 26-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, PHL–LAX peaks in October at 86.3% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~211 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 73.5%, a 12.8-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does PHL to LAX rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, PHL to LAX ranks #788 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 PHL to LAX?
Flights from Philadelphia to Los Angeles have a 81.1% on-time rate based on 13,149 flights. The average delay is 72.2 minutes. The best recent month was Apr 2024 with 89% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for PHL to LAX?
Over the last 24 months, 0.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (44 of 5,103 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from PHL to LAX?
The flight distance from Philadelphia (PHL) to Los Angeles (LAX) is approximately 2,402 miles. This route is served by 6 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from PHL to LAX?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Apr 2024 (89% on-time). The worst was Aug 2024 (63% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

Data source

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

Using PHL–LAX data

PHL–LAX is mid-pack at 81.1% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare PHL and LAX airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. PHL airport
  • If your dates flex, October (86.3% on-time) beats June (73.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 81.1% 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.