Chicago (MDW) to Denver (DEN): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MDW–DEN. November 2024 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 59% — a gap of 34 points. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 6.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 41m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 895 mi
Best airline from MDW to DEN
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 14 min | 0.9% | 4,922 |
| Frontier Airlines | 75% | 23 min | 2.1% | 512 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MDW to DEN
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (54%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 15 min |
| Tuesday | 78% | 16 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 82% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 16 min |
| Friday | 75% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 17 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft42%
- Airline operations27%
- National airspace system26%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MDW to DEN delayed?
- 23% of MDW–DEN 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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MDW to DEN?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 4,922 flights. 2 airlines flew MDW–DEN frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MDW to DEN?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (54%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MDW to DEN?
- The scheduled MDW–DEN flight time averages 2h 41m over 895 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are MDW to DEN flights cancelled?
- 1% 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 MDW to DEN?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 34-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,434 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.