Houston (HOU) to Chicago (MDW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on HOU–MDW. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 95% of the time, but March 2026 dropped to 59% — a gap of 37 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 72%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 5.1
- 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 5 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (67%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 81% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 82% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 12 min |
| Friday | 78% | 14 min |
| Saturdaybest | 82% | 9 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft48%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system16%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from HOU to MDW delayed?
- 22% of HOU–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 13 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from HOU to MDW?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (67%). 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 22% of the time.
- How often are HOU to MDW flights cancelled?
- 1.2% 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 HOU to MDW?
- March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 37-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,623 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.