Washington (DCA) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DCA–ORD. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 65% — a gap of 25 points. Across the full period the route averages 77% 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
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 21 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.9%
- Flights/day
- 19
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 19m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 612 mi
Best airline from DCA to ORD
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy Airmost reliable | 80% | 17 min | 4.7% | 171 |
| Republic Airways | 80% | 16 min | 4.7% | 1,501 |
| American Airlines | 77% | 22 min | 3.2% | 5,151 |
| United Airlines | 76% | 21 min | 2.1% | 7,106 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 71% | 26 min | 4.5% | 202 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DCA to ORD
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (53%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 21 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 22 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 21 min |
| Friday | 72% | 24 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 aircraft42%
- Airline operations19%
- National airspace system31%
- Weather8%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DCA to ORD delayed?
- 23% of DCA–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 21 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DCA to ORD?
- Envoy Air has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 171 flights. 5 airlines flew DCA–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DCA to ORD?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (53%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DCA to ORD?
- The scheduled DCA–ORD flight time averages 2h 19m over 612 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are DCA to ORD flights cancelled?
- 2.9% 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 ORD?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 25-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 14,131 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.