University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
University of Illinois Willard Airport (CMI) is a tale of two seasons: departures ran 95% on-time in October 2024 but sank to 71% in December 2025. Across the year it averages 83% against a national 78%, over roughly 5 departures a day to 2 destinations.
- Departures on-time
- 83%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 18 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 77%
- Cancelled
- 2.1%
- Destinations
- 2
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 1
Plan your departure from CMI
The choices most likely to improve your odds, based on this airport’s historical record.
- Best departure time
- Around 7 a.m.
- 89% on-time
- Best day to fly
- Saturday
- 84% on-time
- Cancellation risk
- 2.1%
- above the US average
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from CMI
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 20 min |
| Tuesday | 81% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 19 min |
| Friday | 80% | 17 min |
| Saturdaybest | 84% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 26 min |
Busiest routes from CMI
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| CMI → ORD (Chicago) | 1,066 | 77% | 20 min |
| CMI → DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) | 719 | 84% | 18 min |
Where flights into CMI come from
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORD (Chicago) → CMI | 1,066 | 73% | 19 min |
| DFW (Dallas/Fort Worth) → CMI | 719 | 83% | 13 min |
What causes delays at CMI
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing CMI.
- Late-arriving aircraft43%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather5%
Alternative airports near Champaign/Urbana
Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.
| Airport | Distance | On-time departures | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| DEC — Decatur Airport | 34 mi | 81% | 26 min |
| BMI — Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal | 45 mi | 85% | 16 min |
| LAF — Purdue University Airport | 75 mi | 79% | 33 min |
| SPI — Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport | 75 mi | 79% | 20 min |
| PIA — General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport | 86 mi | 78% | 24 min |
Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at CMI?
- 17% of departures from University of Illinois Willard Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-07 and 2026-07, with an average departure delay of 18 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
- What is the best time of day to depart from CMI?
- Flights scheduled around 7 a.m. depart on time 89% of the time at CMI, versus 68% around 6 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at CMI?
- In this dataset, December 2025 was the weakest month at CMI, with 71% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at CMI?
- 2.1% of scheduled departures from CMI were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Related guides
Based on 3,340 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.