Houston (HOU) to Chicago (MDW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on HOU–MDW. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 95% of the time, but June 2026 dropped to 50% — a gap of 45 points. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 68%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 5.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 26m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 937 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from HOU to MDW
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (61%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 80% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 13 min |
| Friday | 76% | 15 min |
| Saturday | 80% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft47%
- Airline operations32%
- National airspace system16%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from HOU to MDW delayed?
- 24% of HOU–MDW 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 14 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from HOU to MDW?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (61%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from HOU to MDW?
- The scheduled HOU–MDW flight time averages 2h 26m over 937 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are HOU to MDW flights cancelled?
- 1.2% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from HOU to MDW?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 50% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 45-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,821 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.