Houston (IAH) to Chicago (MDW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
Houston (IAH) to Chicago (MDW) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 113 departures over the past year, roughly 2 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 68% arrived on time, noticeably below the national average of 78%.
- On-time
- 68%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 28 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.3%
- Flights/day
- 0.31
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 31m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 917 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from IAH to MDW
Aim for departures around 1 p.m. (84% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (46%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 51% | 51 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 88% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 62% | 46 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 16 min |
| Friday | 75% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 72% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 22 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft58%
- Airline operations21%
- National airspace system10%
- Weather11%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from IAH to MDW delayed?
- 32% of IAH–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 28 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from IAH to MDW?
- Departures around 1 p.m. have the best record (84% on-time), while departures around 7 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 IAH to MDW?
- The scheduled IAH–MDW flight time averages 2h 31m over 917 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 32% of the time.
- How often are IAH to MDW flights cancelled?
- 1.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What day of the week is most reliable for IAH to MDW?
- Friday flights have the best record at 75% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are meaningful — Monday trails at 51%.
Explore related pages
More routes from IAH
Other ways to fly to Chicago (MDW)
Related guides
Based on 394 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.