Chicago (ORD) to Columbia (CAE): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–CAE. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 55% — a gap of 37 points. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 74%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.8%
- Flights/day
- 1.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 9m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 666 mi
Best airline from ORD to CAE
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy Airmost reliable | 79% | 14 min | 4.9% | 144 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 73% | 17 min | 1.2% | 812 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to CAE
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (65%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 18 min |
| Tuesday | 77% | 12 min |
| Wednesday | 72% | 15 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 12 min |
| Friday | 71% | 23 min |
| Saturdaybest | 77% | 14 min |
| Sunday | 69% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft26%
- Airline operations43%
- National airspace system26%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to CAE delayed?
- 26% of ORD–CAE 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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to CAE?
- Envoy Air has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 144 flights. 2 airlines flew ORD–CAE frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to CAE?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 6 p.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 CAE?
- The scheduled ORD–CAE flight time averages 2h 9m over 666 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are ORD to CAE flights cancelled?
- 1.8% 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 CAE?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 37-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Related guides
Based on 956 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.