Cleveland (CLE) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on CLE–ORD. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 66% — a gap of 24 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (86% vs 61%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.5%
- Flights/day
- 13
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 37m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 316 mi
Best airline from CLE to ORD
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 82% | 14 min | 4.1% | 1,015 |
| United Airlines | 81% | 15 min | 1.1% | 4,278 |
| American Airlines | 80% | 28 min | 3.8% | 832 |
| Envoy Air | 77% | 16 min | 3.0% | 1,573 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 67% | 37 min | 4.2% | 1,268 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from CLE to ORD
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (57%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 20 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 18 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 17 min |
| Friday | 76% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 21 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft30%
- Airline operations29%
- National airspace system38%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from CLE to ORD delayed?
- 22% of CLE–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 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from CLE to ORD?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 1,015 flights. 5 airlines flew CLE–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from CLE to ORD?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 8 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 CLE to ORD?
- The scheduled CLE–ORD flight time averages 1h 37m over 316 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are CLE to ORD flights cancelled?
- 2.5% 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 CLE to ORD?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 66% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 24-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 8,966 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.