Columbus (CMH) to Chicago (MDW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly CMH to MDW matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 94% on-time in October 2024 to just 66% in March 2026. Across the full period the route averages 84% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (92% vs 71%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 84%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 11 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 3.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 16m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 283 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from CMH to MDW
Aim for departures around 11 a.m. (98% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (60%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 82% | 12 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 90% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 88% | 7 min |
| Thursday | 83% | 11 min |
| Friday | 83% | 12 min |
| Saturday | 84% | 9 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 14 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft61%
- Airline operations18%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from CMH to MDW delayed?
- 16% of CMH–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 11 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from CMH to MDW?
- Departures around 11 a.m. have the best record (98% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (60%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from CMH to MDW?
- The scheduled CMH–MDW flight time averages 1h 16m over 283 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 16% of the time.
- How often are CMH to MDW flights cancelled?
- 0.9% 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 CMH to MDW?
- March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 66% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,503 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.