Harrisburg (MDT) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MDT–ORD. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 55% — a gap of 37 points. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (85% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 21 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.4%
- Flights/day
- 5.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 16m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 594 mi
Best airline from MDT to ORD
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 85% | 10 min | 1.6% | 502 |
| United Airlines | 80% | 15 min | 2.0% | 1,034 |
| Envoy Air | 75% | 20 min | 2.3% | 854 |
| American Airlines | 71% | 38 min | 4.5% | 264 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 68% | 35 min | 2.7% | 670 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MDT to ORD
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (51%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 19 min |
| Tuesday | 77% | 23 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 78% | 16 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 22 min |
| Friday | 73% | 23 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 25 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft34%
- Airline operations29%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather11%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MDT to ORD delayed?
- 24% of MDT–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 21 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MDT to ORD?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 502 flights. 5 airlines flew MDT–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MDT to ORD?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (51%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MDT to ORD?
- The scheduled MDT–ORD flight time averages 2h 16m over 594 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are MDT to ORD flights cancelled?
- 2.4% 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 MDT to ORD?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 37-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,324 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.