Chicago (ORD) to Decatur (DEC): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–DEC. May 2025 flights landed on schedule 96% of the time, but August 2024 dropped to 51% — a gap of 45 points. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 22 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.4%
- Flights/day
- 1.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 6m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 156 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to DEC
Aim for departures around 12 p.m. (87% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (53%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 74% | 26 min |
| Tuesday | 72% | 21 min |
| Wednesday | 74% | 21 min |
| Thursdaybest | 76% | 20 min |
| Friday | 73% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 71% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 67% | 27 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft34%
- Airline operations39%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to DEC delayed?
- 28% of ORD–DEC 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 22 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to DEC?
- Departures around 12 p.m. have the best record (87% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (53%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to DEC?
- The scheduled ORD–DEC flight time averages 1h 6m over 156 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are ORD to DEC flights cancelled?
- 2.4% 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 DEC?
- August 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 51% of arrivals on time. The best was May 2025 at 96%. If your dates are flexible, that 45-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,307 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.