Newark (EWR) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on EWR–ORD. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 81% of the time, but October 2025 dropped to 60% — a gap of 21 points. Across the full period the route averages 72% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 55%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 72%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 24 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.9%
- Flights/day
- 17
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 42m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 719 mi
Best airline from EWR to ORD
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 75% | 28 min | 3.9% | 1,713 |
| United Airlines | 72% | 22 min | 2.0% | 9,027 |
| Spirit Airlines | 68% | 30 min | 7.0% | 500 |
| Envoy Air | 67% | 27 min | 5.0% | 1,429 |
| Republic Airways | 60% | 34 min | 7.4% | 203 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from EWR to ORD
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (46%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 24 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 77% | 19 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 23 min |
| Thursday | 71% | 23 min |
| Friday | 66% | 28 min |
| Saturday | 72% | 24 min |
| Sunday | 69% | 26 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft40%
- Airline operations21%
- National airspace system34%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from EWR to ORD delayed?
- 29% of EWR–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 EWR to ORD?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 75%, based on 1,713 flights. 5 airlines flew EWR–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from EWR to ORD?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (46%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from EWR to ORD?
- The scheduled EWR–ORD flight time averages 2h 42m over 719 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 29% of the time.
- How often are EWR 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 EWR to ORD?
- October 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 81%. If your dates are flexible, that 21-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 12,872 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.