New Orleans (MSY) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly MSY to ORD matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 93% on-time in September 2025 to just 67% in June 2026. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (85% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.0%
- Flights/day
- 6.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 39m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 837 mi
Best airline from MSY to ORD
6 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 84% | 13 min | 1.4% | 1,733 |
| Envoy Air | 82% | 12 min | 1.3% | 627 |
| Republic Airways | 81% | 14 min | 3.7% | 571 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 75% | 17 min | 1.9% | 264 |
| American Airlines | 75% | 31 min | 1.7% | 861 |
| Spirit Airlines | 70% | 21 min | 4.0% | 396 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from MSY to ORD
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 21 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 86% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 17 min |
| Friday | 76% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 19 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 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 operations25%
- National airspace system28%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from MSY to ORD delayed?
- 20% of MSY–ORD flights arrived 15 or more minutes late (the US DOT definition of a delay) between 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from MSY to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 1,733 flights. 6 airlines flew MSY–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from MSY to ORD?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (58%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from MSY to ORD?
- The scheduled MSY–ORD flight time averages 2h 39m over 837 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are MSY to ORD flights cancelled?
- 2% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from MSY to ORD?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 67% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,463 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.