New York to Los Angeles flights
about 45 flights a week across 32 operators. Below: the aircraft mix, and what the safety record and the turbulence model say for this route.
Route FAQ
How long does the flight from New York to Los Angeles take?
Flight time from New York (JFK) to Los Angeles (LAX) depends on routing, aircraft type, and whether the flight is direct or connecting. A direct flight typically reflects great-circle distance plus winds, while one-stop options can add several hours depending on the layover airport. The typical block time and frequency we have observed for this route are shown above.
Which airlines fly from New York to Los Angeles?
Airline availability for JFK to LAX changes by season and sometimes week to week as carriers adjust capacity. The airlines and aircraft types observed operating this route, both direct and connecting, are listed below based on real flight-tracking data.
Are there direct flights from New York to Los Angeles?
Direct (nonstop) availability on JFK to LAX varies by date, day of week, and season. Busy city pairs usually have multiple daily nonstops, while thinner routes may only have direct service a few days per week or only during peak seasons.
No fatal or serious occurrence involving any operator on this pair in the last 90 days.
- LAE100
- Delta Air Lines40
- American Airlines40
- United Airlines40
- JetBlue Airways40
| Carrier | Sightings / 90d | Safety events |
|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 7 sightings | No recorded events |
| American Airlines | 4 sightings | No recorded events |
| United Airlines | 3 sightings | No recorded events |
| LAE | 1 sighting | No recorded events |
| JetBlue Airways | 1 sighting | No recorded events |
Flight patterns on JFK → LAX
We observed 574 flights on this route over the last 90 days (about 44.6 per week) across 32 airlines.
Departures cluster around 21:00–22:00 UTC, 00:00–01:00 UTC, 20:00–21:00 UTC, busiest on Sunday and Thursday.
On-time performance: 36.8% of departures left within 15 minutes of schedule (average delay 119.5 min, based on 114 timed flights).
Historically, 78.5% of flights on JFK → LAX arrived within 15 minutes of schedule (average arrival delay 1.1 min; 1.4% cancelled), across 260,235 flights from 1987–2025. Source: U.S. DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
In 2025, 2,912,378 passengers flew between JFK and LAX (both directions) on 20,298 flights, led by DL. Source: U.S. DOT BTS T-100. US air traffic.
Carrier on-time performance (last 12 months)
| Carrier | On-time % | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| JetBlue Airways | 77.4% | 16.9 min | 6,854 |
| Delta Air Lines | 79.6% | 17.6 min | 6,574 |
| American Airlines | 78.4% | 23.7 min | 6,329 |
| Frontier Airlines | 72.9% | 20.3 min | 458 |
On-time = arrival within 15 minutes of schedule, per U.S. DOT definitions. Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (public domain). Delay-cause attribution is reported by carriers since June 2003.
Planning JFK → LAX
JFK to LAX is a medium-haul route of 3,974 km (2,469 mi). See the return LAX → JFK route.
Alternative airports near New York: New York (LGA) — 17 km, New York (JRB) — 21 km, New York (JRA) — 23 km.
Alternative airports near Los Angeles: Hawthorne (HHR) — 7 km, Santa Monica (SMO) — 9 km, Torrance (TOA) — 17 km.