Cleveland (CLE) to Chicago (MDW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on CLE–MDW. November 2024 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but March 2026 dropped to 72% — a gap of 20 points. Across the full period the route averages 84% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (90% vs 75%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 84%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 10 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 3.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 19m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 307 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from CLE to MDW
Aim for departures around 10 a.m. (97% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (68%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 87% | 8 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 89% | 8 min |
| Thursday | 82% | 10 min |
| Friday | 83% | 11 min |
| Saturday | 84% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 85% | 10 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft58%
- Airline operations17%
- National airspace system21%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from CLE to MDW delayed?
- 16% of CLE–MDW 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 10 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from CLE to MDW?
- Departures around 10 a.m. have the best record (97% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (68%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from CLE to MDW?
- The scheduled CLE–MDW flight time averages 1h 19m over 307 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 16% of the time.
- How often are CLE to MDW flights cancelled?
- 0.7% 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 CLE to MDW?
- March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 72% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 20-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from CLE
Other ways to fly to Chicago (MDW)
Related guides
Based on 2,195 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.