Chicago (ORD) to Boston (BOS): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–BOS. January 2025 flights landed on schedule 85% of the time, but September 2025 dropped to 56% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 71% 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
- 71%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 23 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.1%
- Flights/day
- 21
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 28m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 867 mi
Best airline from ORD to BOS
7 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy Airmost reliable | 85% | 10 min | 1.4% | 1,007 |
| JetBlue Airways | 74% | 27 min | 2.1% | 1,225 |
| United Airlines | 73% | 21 min | 1.4% | 5,470 |
| Republic Airways | 73% | 21 min | 3.9% | 1,650 |
| Delta Air Lines | 72% | 24 min | 2.5% | 2,030 |
| American Airlines | 64% | 27 min | 2.1% | 4,010 |
| Spirit Airlines | 55% | 36 min | 3.9% | 128 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to BOS
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (51%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 69% | 25 min |
| Tuesday | 76% | 19 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 21 min |
| Thursday | 69% | 26 min |
| Friday | 67% | 26 min |
| Saturdaybest | 78% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 70% | 24 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 operations22%
- National airspace system32%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to BOS delayed?
- 29% of ORD–BOS 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 23 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to BOS?
- Envoy Air has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 1,007 flights. 7 airlines flew ORD–BOS frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to BOS?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (51%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to BOS?
- The scheduled ORD–BOS flight time averages 2h 28m over 867 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 29% of the time.
- How often are ORD to BOS flights cancelled?
- 2.1% 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 ORD to BOS?
- September 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was January 2025 at 85%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 15,520 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.