Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW): Delays & On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) is a tale of two seasons: departures ran 85% on-time in November 2024 but sank to 62% in March 2026. Across the year it averages 75% against a national 78%, over roughly 203 departures a day to 87 destinations.
- Departures on-time
- 75%
- left <15 min late
- Avg dep delay
- 15 min
- Arrivals on-time
- 80%
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Destinations
- 87
- nonstop
- Airlines
- 5
Plan your departure from MDW
The choices most likely to improve your odds, based on this airport’s historical record.
- Best departure time
- Around 6 a.m.
- 95% on-time
- Best day to fly
- Tuesday
- 80% on-time
- Cancellation risk
- 1.1%
- below the US average
Monthly on-time trend
Best time of day to depart from MDW
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 15 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 80% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 14 min |
| Friday | 76% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 16 min |
Busiest routes from MDW
Where flights into MDW come from
| Route | Flights/12mo | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ATL (Atlanta) → MDW | 3,535 | 78% | 15 min |
| PHX (Phoenix) → MDW | 2,815 | 77% | 13 min |
| MCO (Orlando) → MDW | 2,796 | 74% | 16 min |
| MSP (Minneapolis) → MDW | 2,598 | 81% | 12 min |
| LAS (Las Vegas) → MDW | 2,397 | 79% | 12 min |
| DEN (Denver) → MDW | 2,385 | 76% | 15 min |
| LGA (New York) → MDW | 2,368 | 76% | 17 min |
| DAL (Dallas) → MDW | 2,156 | 75% | 16 min |
What causes delays at MDW
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT, weighted across routes departing MDW.
- Late-arriving aircraft43%
- Airline operations33%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather4%
Alternative airports near Chicago
Other airports within 120 miles, compared on departure reliability.
| Airport | Distance | On-time departures | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORD — Chicago O'Hare International Airport | 15 mi | 75% | 20 min |
| SBN — South Bend International Airport | 74 mi | 77% | 24 min |
| RFD — Chicago Rockford International Airport | 75 mi | 74% | 28 min |
| MKE — General Mitchell International Airport | 81 mi | 81% | 16 min |
| BMI — Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal | 109 mi | 85% | 15 min |
Compare the airport-level record first, then check the exact route you plan to book.
Airline performance at MDW
| Airline | On-time departures | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta Air Lines | 84% | 15 min | 2,983 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 81% | 17 min | 3,325 |
| Allegiant Air | 79% | 28 min | 765 |
| Frontier Airlines | 77% | 21 min | 5,209 |
| Southwest Airlines | 75% | 15 min | 138,242 |
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights delayed at MDW?
- 25% of departures from Chicago Midway International Airport left 15+ minutes late between 2024-06 and 2026-05, with an average departure delay of 15 minutes. The national on-time average over the same period was 78%.
- What is the best time of day to depart from MDW?
- Flights scheduled around 6 a.m. depart on time 95% of the time at MDW, versus 50% around 9 p.m.. Booking before noon is the usual rule of thumb here.
- What is the worst month for delays at MDW?
- In this dataset, March 2026 was the weakest month at MDW, with 62% of departures on time.
- How often are flights cancelled at MDW?
- 1.1% of scheduled departures from MDW were cancelled in this period, compared with a national rate of 1.6%.
Popular route pages from this airport
Related guides
Based on 150,524 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.