Chicago (MDW) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
Chicago (MDW) to Houston (IAH) is a thinner route than most in this dataset — 130 departures over the past year, roughly 3 a week — so treat these numbers as indicative rather than definitive. Of the flights that did operate, 65% arrived on time, noticeably below the national average of 78%.
- On-time
- 65%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 23 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.3%
- Flights/day
- 0.36
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 44m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 917 mi
Best airline from MDW to IAH
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlinesmost reliable | 68% | 21 min | 0.8% | 357 |
| Southwest Airlines | 55% | 30 min | 3.0% | 100 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MDW to IAH
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (81% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (44%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 52% | 36 min |
| Tuesday | 63% | 30 min |
| Wednesday | 58% | 28 min |
| Thursday | 67% | 17 min |
| Friday | 73% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 70% | 15 min |
| Sundaybest | 75% | 20 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft41%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system28%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MDW to IAH delayed?
- 35% of MDW–IAH 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 23 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MDW to IAH?
- Frontier Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 68%, based on 357 flights. 2 airlines flew MDW–IAH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MDW to IAH?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (81% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (44%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MDW to IAH?
- The scheduled MDW–IAH flight time averages 2h 44m over 917 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 35% of the time.
- How often are MDW to IAH flights cancelled?
- 1.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What day of the week is most reliable for MDW to IAH?
- Sunday flights have the best record at 75% on-time. Day-of-week differences on this route are meaningful — Monday trails at 52%.
Explore related pages
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Based on 457 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.