Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DFW–ORD. February 2025 flights landed on schedule 85% of the time, but June 2026 dropped to 58% — a gap of 27 points. Across the full period the route averages 71% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (81% vs 62%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 71%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 24 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.3%
- Flights/day
- 19
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 30m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 802 mi
Best airline from DFW to ORD
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 75% | 22 min | 1.4% | 4,148 |
| Spirit Airlines | 72% | 21 min | 1.4% | 427 |
| American Airlines | 69% | 24 min | 2.7% | 8,740 |
| Frontier Airlines | 66% | 30 min | 3.1% | 872 |
| Envoy Air | 62% | 28 min | 4.5% | 222 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DFW to ORD
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (85% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (50%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 70% | 26 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 75% | 20 min |
| Wednesday | 71% | 24 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 24 min |
| Friday | 70% | 24 min |
| Saturday | 73% | 22 min |
| Sunday | 66% | 28 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft43%
- Airline operations26%
- National airspace system25%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DFW to ORD delayed?
- 29% of DFW–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 24 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DFW to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 75%, based on 4,148 flights. 5 airlines flew DFW–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DFW to ORD?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (85% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (50%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DFW to ORD?
- The scheduled DFW–ORD flight time averages 2h 30m over 802 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 29% of the time.
- How often are DFW to ORD 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 DFW to ORD?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 58% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2025 at 85%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 14,433 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.