Memphis (MEM) to Chicago (MDW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on MEM–MDW. October 2025 flights landed on schedule 95% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 70% — a gap of 25 points. Across the full period the route averages 84% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (90% vs 73%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 84%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 12 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 1.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 37m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 480 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MEM to MDW
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (68%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 82% | 11 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 88% | 8 min |
| Thursday | 84% | 11 min |
| Friday | 82% | 15 min |
| Saturdaybest | 90% | 10 min |
| Sunday | 81% | 11 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft37%
- Airline operations42%
- National airspace system20%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MEM to MDW delayed?
- 16% of MEM–MDW 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 12 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MEM to MDW?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (68%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MEM to MDW?
- The scheduled MEM–MDW flight time averages 1h 37m over 480 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 16% of the time.
- How often are MEM to MDW flights cancelled?
- 1.2% 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 MEM to MDW?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 70% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2025 at 95%. If your dates are flexible, that 25-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,312 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.