Chicago (ORD) to Nashville (BNA): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly ORD to BNA matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 87% on-time in October 2024 to just 55% in July 2025. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 22 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Flights/day
- 14
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 41m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 409 mi
Best airline from ORD to BNA
7 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 78% | 14 min | 1.4% | 958 |
| Envoy Air | 77% | 14 min | 2.4% | 1,383 |
| Southwest Airlines | 76% | 15 min | 0.7% | 966 |
| United Airlines | 76% | 17 min | 1.0% | 2,499 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 68% | 29 min | 2.4% | 3,097 |
| American Airlines | 66% | 39 min | 1.5% | 605 |
| Frontier Airlines | 66% | 28 min | 2.2% | 277 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to BNA
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (86% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (57%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 25 min |
| Tuesday | 76% | 19 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 19 min |
| Friday | 69% | 25 min |
| Saturdaybest | 77% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 69% | 28 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft36%
- Airline operations32%
- National airspace system19%
- Weather13%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to BNA delayed?
- 27% of ORD–BNA 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 22 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to BNA?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 958 flights. 7 airlines flew ORD–BNA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to BNA?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (57%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to BNA?
- The scheduled ORD–BNA flight time averages 1h 41m over 409 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 27% of the time.
- How often are ORD to BNA flights cancelled?
- 1.7% 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 BNA?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 31-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 9,831 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.