Miami (MIA) to Chicago (MDW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly MIA to MDW matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 92% on-time in July 2025 to just 48% in August 2024. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (87% vs 56%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 21 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.8%
- Flights/day
- 1.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 15m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,182 mi
Best airline from MIA to MDW
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 73% | 20 min | 1.3% | 932 |
| Frontier Airlines | 72% | 24 min | 3.6% | 280 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MIA to MDW
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (96% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (52%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 23 min |
| Tuesday | 77% | 19 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 82% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 21 min |
| Friday | 68% | 22 min |
| Saturday | 69% | 21 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft50%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system16%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MIA to MDW delayed?
- 28% of MIA–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 21 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MIA to MDW?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 73%, based on 932 flights. 2 airlines flew MIA–MDW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MIA to MDW?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (96% on-time), while departures around 7 p.m. have the worst (52%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MIA to MDW?
- The scheduled MIA–MDW flight time averages 3h 15m over 1,182 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are MIA to MDW flights cancelled?
- 1.8% 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 MIA to MDW?
- August 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 48% of arrivals on time. The best was July 2025 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 44-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,212 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.