Baltimore (BWI) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on BWI–ORD. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 62% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 61%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.6%
- Flights/day
- 7.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 18m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 622 mi
Best airline from BWI to ORD
7 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 84% | 14 min | 2.1% | 340 |
| American Airlines | 82% | 15 min | 0.4% | 258 |
| Southwest Airlines | 81% | 12 min | 0.6% | 804 |
| United Airlines | 79% | 18 min | 1.0% | 2,161 |
| Envoy Air | 76% | 19 min | 3.0% | 1,421 |
| Frontier Airlines | 64% | 64 min | 4.0% | 150 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 47% | 95 min | 1.4% | 74 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from BWI to ORD
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (57%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 22 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 20 min |
| Friday | 75% | 20 min |
| Saturdaybest | 82% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft34%
- Airline operations21%
- National airspace system30%
- Weather15%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from BWI to ORD delayed?
- 22% of BWI–ORD flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-06 and 2026-05. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from BWI to ORD?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 340 flights. 7 airlines flew BWI–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from BWI to ORD?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (57%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from BWI to ORD?
- The scheduled BWI–ORD flight time averages 2h 18m over 622 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are BWI to ORD flights cancelled?
- 1.6% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from BWI to ORD?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 5,247 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.