Chicago (MDW) to Tampa (TPA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MDW–TPA. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 62% — a gap of 30 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 62%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 14 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Flights/day
- 4.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 35m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 997 mi
Best airline from MDW to TPA
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 13 min | 1.4% | 3,067 |
| Frontier Airlines | 78% | 20 min | 4.6% | 306 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MDW to TPA
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (39%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 84% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 11 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 14 min |
| Friday | 78% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 11 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft45%
- Airline operations33%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather3%
- Security1%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MDW to TPA delayed?
- 22% of MDW–TPA 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 14 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MDW to TPA?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 3,067 flights. 2 airlines flew MDW–TPA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MDW to TPA?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (39%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MDW to TPA?
- The scheduled MDW–TPA flight time averages 2h 35m over 997 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are MDW to TPA flights cancelled?
- 1.7% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from MDW to TPA?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,373 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.