Buffalo (BUF) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly BUF to ORD matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 87% on-time in May 2025 to just 64% in January 2026. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 56%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 22 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.1%
- Flights/day
- 6.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 0m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 474 mi
Best airline from BUF to ORD
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 80% | 23 min | 2.3% | 822 |
| Republic Airways | 79% | 18 min | 2.3% | 648 |
| Envoy Air | 77% | 16 min | 1.5% | 1,098 |
| United Airlines | 75% | 20 min | 1.3% | 1,321 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 65% | 41 min | 5.2% | 501 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from BUF to ORD
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (54%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 20 min |
| Tuesday | 77% | 19 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 18 min |
| Thursdaybest | 77% | 24 min |
| Friday | 75% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 24 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 26 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft33%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system31%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from BUF to ORD delayed?
- 24% of BUF–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 22 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from BUF to ORD?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 822 flights. 5 airlines flew BUF–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from BUF to ORD?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (54%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from BUF to ORD?
- The scheduled BUF–ORD flight time averages 2h 0m over 474 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are BUF to ORD flights cancelled?
- 2.1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from BUF to ORD?
- January 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 64% of arrivals on time. The best was May 2025 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 23-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,391 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.