Washington (DCA) to Chicago (MDW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly DCA to MDW matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 91% on-time in September 2024 to just 63% in March 2026. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.3%
- Flights/day
- 5.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 4m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 601 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to MDW
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (61%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 16 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 17 min |
| Friday | 73% | 19 min |
| Saturdaybest | 87% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft62%
- Airline operations22%
- National airspace system13%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to MDW delayed?
- 22% of DCA–MDW 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 15 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to MDW?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (61%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DCA to MDW?
- The scheduled DCA–MDW flight time averages 2h 4m over 601 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are DCA to MDW flights cancelled?
- 2.3% 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 DCA to MDW?
- March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 63% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,380 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.