Detroit (DTW) to Chicago (MDW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly DTW 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 December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 74%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.6%
- Flights/day
- 3.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 14m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 228 mi
Best airline from DTW to MDW
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 80% | 12 min | 0.9% | 2,132 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 78% | 16 min | 0.2% | 1,343 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from DTW to MDW
Aim for departures around 2 p.m. (89% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (62%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 17 min |
| Friday | 78% | 12 min |
| Saturdaybest | 84% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 13 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft24%
- Airline operations45%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather9%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from DTW to MDW delayed?
- 21% of DTW–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 14 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from DTW to MDW?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 2,132 flights. 2 airlines flew DTW–MDW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from DTW to MDW?
- Departures around 2 p.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (62%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from DTW to MDW?
- The scheduled DTW–MDW flight time averages 1h 14m over 228 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are DTW to MDW flights cancelled?
- 0.6% 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 DTW to MDW?
- December 2025 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 3,475 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.