FlightRecord

Chicago (ORD) to Cincinnati (CVG): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Chicago (ORD) to Cincinnati (CVG) effectively runs on two schedules. In October 2024, 87% of arrivals were on time; in December 2025 that fell to 60% — a 28-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (81% vs 69%), which matters most in the rough months.

On-time
74%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
19 min
completed flights
Cancelled
2.0%
Flights/day
13
last 12 months
Duration
1h 24m
scheduled
Distance
264 mi

Best airline from ORD to CVG

5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
Republic Airwaysmost reliable82%13 min2.2%2,138
United Airlines73%19 min1.2%1,804
Envoy Air71%19 min1.6%2,417
SkyWest Airlines70%26 min3.4%1,305
American Airlines58%38 min1.5%68

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for ORD to CVG flights50%75%100%June 2024: 73% on-time (214 flights)73Jun 2024July 2024: 71% on-time (262 flights)71August 2024: 67% on-time (251 flights)67September 2024: 81% on-time (304 flights)81Sep 2024October 2024: 87% on-time (295 flights)87November 2024: 85% on-time (291 flights)85December 2024: 77% on-time (226 flights)77Dec 2024January 2025: 83% on-time (170 flights)83February 2025: 76% on-time (180 flights)76March 2025: 73% on-time (257 flights)73Mar 2025April 2025: 82% on-time (357 flights)82May 2025: 77% on-time (355 flights)77June 2025: 69% on-time (380 flights)69Jun 2025July 2025: 63% on-time (393 flights)63August 2025: 79% on-time (407 flights)79September 2025: 80% on-time (404 flights)80Sep 2025October 2025: 78% on-time (417 flights)78November 2025: 73% on-time (378 flights)73December 2025: 60% on-time (346 flights)60Dec 2025January 2026: 64% on-time (299 flights)64February 2026: 71% on-time (313 flights)71March 2026: 61% on-time (408 flights)61Mar 2026April 2026: 72% on-time (403 flights)72May 2026: 81% on-time (459 flights)81

Best time to fly from ORD to CVG

Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 3 p.m. departures (63%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, ORD to CVG6 a.m.: 84% on-time (70 flights)67 a.m.: 90% on-time (686 flights)78 a.m.: 79% on-time (360 flights)89 a.m.: 69% on-time (246 flights)910 a.m.: 79% on-time (812 flights)1011 a.m.: 78% on-time (79 flights)1112 p.m.: 75% on-time (473 flights)121 p.m.: 80% on-time (496 flights)132 p.m.: 75% on-time (896 flights)143 p.m.: 63% on-time (243 flights)154 p.m.: 71% on-time (436 flights)165 p.m.: 68% on-time (478 flights)176 p.m.: 70% on-time (956 flights)187 p.m.: 66% on-time (378 flights)198 p.m.: 65% on-time (525 flights)209 p.m.: 71% on-time (560 flights)2110 p.m.: 79% on-time (68 flights)22scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday75%21 min
Tuesday78%17 min
Wednesday75%18 min
Thursday73%18 min
Friday71%20 min
Saturdaybest79%14 min
Sunday70%22 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 operations31%
  • National airspace system18%
  • Weather9%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from ORD to CVG delayed?
26% of ORD–CVG 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 19 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from ORD to CVG?
Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 2,138 flights. 5 airlines flew ORD–CVG frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to CVG?
Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 3 p.m. have the worst (63%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
How long is the flight from ORD to CVG?
The scheduled ORD–CVG flight time averages 1h 24m over 264 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
How often are ORD to CVG flights cancelled?
2% 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 CVG?
December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 7,769 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.