74% of flights leaving Carlsbad (CLD) arrived on time over the past 12 months, right at the national average of 76%. About 4 flights leave CLD on a typical day; 0.9% were cancelled. 80% pushed back from the gate on time, so a fair share of the lateness builds up after departure, on the taxiway or in the air.
At a glance
- Best hour to fly: 6 a.m. (92% on time). Worst: noon (84%).
- Best month: March (93%). Worst: July (64%).
- Biggest delay cause: the air traffic system (40% of delay minutes).
How late?
The on-time rate treats a flight 20 minutes late the same as one 5 hours late. Here's the split for flights leaving CLD: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 46% of the time. About 1 in 11 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 102 three hours or more; 0.9% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early74%
- 15–30 min late6.8%
- 30–60 min late8.0%
- 1–2 hours late7.2%
- 2–3 hours late1.0%
- 3+ hours late1.0%
- Diverted0.7%
- Cancelled0.9%
Share of all 1,528 scheduled flights, past 12 months, by arrival time against schedule.
Best time of day to fly out of CLD
Departure time makes a real difference at CLD. Flights scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. arrived on time 92% of the time; at noon it was 84%, a 8-point gap. Early planes usually start the day at the airport, so they haven't had a chance to pick up delays elsewhere. By evening a late inbound aircraft, a crew running out of duty hours or an afternoon thunderstorm can push one late flight into the next.
Hour × month
Each cell: on-time rate for that departure hour in that calendar month, 2023–2026. Find your travel month, then look along the row for the greenest hour.
Best and worst months
July is the hardest month at CLD, with 64% of flights on time across 2023–2026; March is the best at 93%. Cancellations peak in April (0.4% of flights).
Airlines at CLD
American Airlines runs 59% of departures from CLD, so CLD is effectively its hub. When American Airlines has a bad day, so does the airport.
| Airline | Departures | On time | Left on time | Cancelled | Typical arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 908 | 85% | 85% | 1.2% | −9 min |
| United Airlines | 620 | 59% | 71% | 0.3% | +2 min |
Why flights are late at CLD
Airlines report a cause for every flight that arrives 15 or more minutes late. At CLD, 40% of delay minutes came from the air traffic system: air traffic control programs, airport congestion and non-severe weather. Next is the airlines themselves at 30%.
The average taxi from gate to takeoff is 18 minutes, about typical for a large U.S. airport.
CLD vs nearby airports
| Airport | Distance | Departures | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLD McClellan-Palomar | — | 1,528 | 74% | 0.9% |
| SAN San Diego | 28 mi | 107,775 | 74% | 1.4% |
| SNA Orange County John Wayne | 51 mi | 45,942 | 80% | 1.1% |
Month by month
Last flights of the day
The last flight of the day is a different bet. Across routes from CLD, each airline's final departure was cancelled 1.8% of the time, against 0.1% for its earlier flights (15.1× as often). Late in the day crews run short on duty hours, aircraft arrive late from elsewhere, and with no later flight to fold passengers into, cancelling is easier for the airline. 0.8% of last flights landed 3+ hours late. The riskiest last flight out was American Airlines to Phoenix (3.1% cancelled).
| Last flight to | Airline | Leaves | Cancelled | 3h+ late | On time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHX Phoenix | American Airlines | 6:58 p.m. | 3.1% | 1.1% | 82% |
Each airline's last scheduled departure of the day on a route, on days it flies the route at least twice; past 12 months. Riskiest first.
Tips for flying out of CLD
- Book the earliest departure you can live with. At CLD the 6 a.m. flights do best.
- Traveling in July? Leave extra slack for anything that can't move: cruises, weddings, the last connection of the day.
- Need to arrive tonight? Don't book the last flight out of CLD; the one before it leaves you a backup.
- Delayed already? Most delays at CLD come from the air traffic system. If your inbound plane is late, your flight will be too, whatever the board says.
Routes from CLD
Least reliable first. Routes with at least 365 flights a year.
| To | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHX Phoenix | 908 | 85% | 1.2% | −9 min |
Flights into CLD
Arriving rather than leaving? These are the routes into McClellan-Palomar, least reliable first. The weakest is from Phoenix (81% on time).
| From | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| PHX Phoenix | 908 | 81% | 1.2% |
Questions about CLD delays
What is the best time to fly out of CLD?
Flights scheduled at 6 a.m.: over the past year 92% of CLD departures at that hour arrived on time, against 84% at noon, the worst hour.
What month has the most flight delays at CLD?
July (64% on time). March is the best month (93%).
Why are flights delayed at CLD?
The biggest cause was the air traffic system (40% of delay minutes): air traffic control programs, airport congestion and non-severe weather. Then the airlines themselves (30%).
How often are flights cancelled at CLD?
0.9% of scheduled departures over the past 12 months, peaking in April at 0.4%.
Hours are scheduled local departure times. "On time" means arriving less than 15 minutes late at the destination; cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time. Method.