Chicago (ORD) to Atlanta (ATL): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–ATL. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 89% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 57% — a gap of 32 points. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 62%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 21 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.8%
- Flights/day
- 18
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 5m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 606 mi
Best airline from ORD to ATL
7 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy Airmost reliable | 80% | 13 min | 2.1% | 700 |
| Delta Air Lines | 80% | 18 min | 1.6% | 5,132 |
| United Airlines | 77% | 16 min | 1.1% | 3,138 |
| Republic Airways | 76% | 15 min | 3.1% | 453 |
| American Airlines | 65% | 34 min | 2.4% | 1,250 |
| Frontier Airlines | 63% | 34 min | 3.2% | 1,221 |
| Spirit Airlines | 48% | 44 min | 2.2% | 226 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to ATL
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (87% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (27%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 23 min |
| Tuesday | 77% | 19 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 20 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 18 min |
| Friday | 72% | 20 min |
| Saturdaybest | 78% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 26 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 operations30%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to ATL delayed?
- 25% of ORD–ATL 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 ORD to ATL?
- Envoy Air has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 700 flights. 7 airlines flew ORD–ATL frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to ATL?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (87% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (27%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to ATL?
- The scheduled ORD–ATL flight time averages 2h 5m over 606 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are ORD to ATL 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 ORD to ATL?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 12,170 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.