Des Moines (DSM) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on DSM–ORD. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 88% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 61% — a gap of 27 points. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 23 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.7%
- Flights/day
- 9.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 34m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 299 mi
Best airline from DSM to ORD
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 84% | 20 min | 3.9% | 414 |
| Republic Airways | 80% | 15 min | 2.7% | 995 |
| United Airlines | 79% | 17 min | 1.4% | 1,794 |
| Envoy Air | 75% | 19 min | 1.6% | 829 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 69% | 36 min | 4.4% | 1,559 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DSM to ORD
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (86% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (55%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 22 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 80% | 23 min |
| Wednesday | 76% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 25 min |
| Friday | 72% | 21 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 25 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 24 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 operations33%
- National airspace system24%
- Weather12%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DSM to ORD delayed?
- 24% of DSM–ORD 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 23 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DSM to ORD?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 414 flights. 5 airlines flew DSM–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DSM to ORD?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (55%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DSM to ORD?
- The scheduled DSM–ORD flight time averages 1h 34m over 299 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are DSM to ORD flights cancelled?
- 2.7% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from DSM to ORD?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,592 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.