Birmingham (BHM) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly BHM to ORD matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 94% on-time in October 2024 to just 69% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 61%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 3.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 20m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 584 mi
Best airline from BHM to ORD
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 86% | 11 min | 0.8% | 375 |
| Envoy Air | 80% | 16 min | 1.2% | 1,137 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 61% | 37 min | 1.7% | 172 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from BHM to ORD
Aim for departures around 1 p.m. (91% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (56%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 86% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 14 min |
| Friday | 78% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 75% | 25 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 24 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft32%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system24%
- Weather13%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from BHM to ORD delayed?
- 21% of BHM–ORD flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from BHM to ORD?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 375 flights. 3 airlines flew BHM–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from BHM to ORD?
- Departures around 1 p.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (56%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from BHM to ORD?
- The scheduled BHM–ORD flight time averages 2h 20m over 584 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are BHM to ORD flights cancelled?
- 1.2% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from BHM to ORD?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 69% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 25-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,690 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.