Chicago (ORD) to Birmingham (BHM): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly ORD to BHM matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 97% on-time in October 2024 to just 64% in December 2025. 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 76%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.4%
- Flights/day
- 3.1
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 2m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 584 mi
Best airline from ORD to BHM
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 86% | 9 min | 1.3% | 373 |
| Envoy Air | 80% | 13 min | 1.4% | 1,138 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 66% | 23 min | 1.2% | 171 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to BHM
Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (69%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 82% | 12 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 85% | 11 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 12 min |
| Friday | 75% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 80% | 15 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 operations20%
- National airspace system22%
- Weather18%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to BHM delayed?
- 20% of ORD–BHM 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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to BHM?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 86%, based on 373 flights. 3 airlines flew ORD–BHM frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to BHM?
- Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 10 p.m. have the worst (69%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to BHM?
- The scheduled ORD–BHM flight time averages 2h 2m over 584 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are ORD to BHM flights cancelled?
- 1.4% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from ORD to BHM?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 64% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,687 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.