Chicago (ORD) to Birmingham (BHM): On-Time Performance
Data through May 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 59% in June 2024. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.2%
- Flights/day
- 3.2
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 2m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 584 mi
Best airline from ORD to BHM
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 86% | 9 min | 1.3% | 373 |
| Envoy Air | 81% | 12 min | 1.1% | 1,020 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 64% | 25 min | 1.8% | 222 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to BHM
Aim for departures around 4 p.m. (90% on-time); avoid 11 a.m. departures (65%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 81% | 13 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 84% | 13 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 81% | 11 min |
| Friday | 77% | 12 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 80% | 16 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft42%
- Airline operations21%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather17%
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 2024-06 and 2026-05. 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 4 p.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 11 a.m. have the worst (65%). 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?
- 1.2% 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 ORD to BHM?
- June 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 38-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,620 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.