Itineraries flown on 20+ days in the Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026 schedule · each leg’s record Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

No nonstop, and no clear pattern: the best connection reaches New York on time 3 times in 4.

Best connections, any airlines

Ranked by chance you reach New York on time. Total trip = scheduled departure to arrival, layover included (New York is 3 h ahead of Long Beach). Layovers up to 4 hours. Pick a connection for the details.


Southwest + Americantwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 18:15 → LAS 19:25WN 2485	3h 22m Las Vegas	LAS 22:47 → JFK 07:00 +1AA 2855	9h 45m	100%	93%
Southwest + Deltatwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 08:00 → SLC 10:45WN 2501	3h 51m Salt Lake City	SLC 14:36 → JFK 21:28DL 671	10h 29m	100%	77%
Southwest + Deltatwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 07:50 → PHX 09:10WN 2491	2h 30m Phoenix	PHX 11:40 → JFK 20:01DL 791	9h 05m	98%	75%
Delta + JetBluetwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 16:55 → SLC 19:56DL 3793 · flown by SkyWest	2h 43m Salt Lake City	SLC 22:39 → JFK 05:09 +1B6 372	9h 15m	97%	74%
Delta Details →	LGB 13:00 → SLC 15:51DL 1116	1h 19m Salt Lake City	SLC 17:10 → JFK 23:52DL 697	7h 52m	93%	74%
Southwest + JetBluetwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 07:55 → DEN 11:10WN 4574	2h 58m Denver	DEN 14:08 → JFK 20:11B6 1498	9h 15m	100%	69%
Southwest + JetBluetwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 06:50 → LAS 08:05WN 2484	2h 20m Las Vegas	LAS 10:25 → JFK 18:32B6 1548	8h 42m	96%	67%
Southwest + JetBluetwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 19:22 → SMF 20:48WN 2507	2h 28m Sacramento	SMF 23:16 → JFK 07:40 +1B6 162	9h 18m	96%	66%

Same layover, different day-part

How often the first flight arrives too late to connect (45 min minimum), for one-ticket layovers of 45–80 minutes.

Afternoon and evening

SLC · 1h 19m · leaves 13:00 7%

Delays build through the day, so an afternoon first leg eats the layover. A short connection is fine early in the morning and a gamble later on.

Mixing airlines

One ticketMiss it and the airline rebooks you; bags go through. 45 min is enough.

Separate ticketsMiss it and you buy a new ticket. Re-check bags, clear security again: we require 90 min.

The table above includes two-ticket connections (marked “two tickets”), held to the 90-minute minimum. One ticket only →

Regional partners count as the airline that sells them: SkyWest flying Delta Connection is one Delta ticket.

How these are worked out. Makes the connection: share of the last year’s flights where the first flight arrived with at least 45 minutes to spare (90 on separate tickets). Arrives on time: first flight not cancelled × connection made × second flight not cancelled and arriving within 15 minutes. Not yet counted: the second flight also leaving late (which helps), gate-to-gate distance at the hub, and rebooking after a missed connection.

About this data: US DOT on-time records, Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, all US airlines; regional flights count under the airline that sells them. Schedules (which flights and connections exist, and their times) are as of Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026; seasonal flights outside that window aren’t ranked. Rebuilt monthly. JSON