Chicago (ORD) to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–DFW. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 88% of the time, but June 2026 dropped to 61% — a gap of 26 points. Across the full period the route averages 72% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (78% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 72%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 25 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.3%
- Flights/day
- 19
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 40m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 802 mi
Best airline from ORD to DFW
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 76% | 18 min | 1.0% | 4,145 |
| Spirit Airlines | 72% | 21 min | 1.7% | 423 |
| American Airlines | 71% | 28 min | 2.8% | 8,721 |
| Envoy Air | 66% | 24 min | 3.2% | 221 |
| Frontier Airlines | 65% | 29 min | 3.6% | 873 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to DFW
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (86% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (60%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 71% | 27 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 78% | 18 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 22 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 23 min |
| Friday | 68% | 26 min |
| Saturday | 71% | 28 min |
| Sunday | 67% | 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 aircraft44%
- Airline operations28%
- National airspace system23%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to DFW delayed?
- 28% of ORD–DFW 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 25 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to DFW?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 76%, based on 4,145 flights. 5 airlines flew ORD–DFW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to DFW?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 10 p.m. have the worst (60%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to DFW?
- The scheduled ORD–DFW flight time averages 2h 40m over 802 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 28% of the time.
- How often are ORD to DFW flights cancelled?
- 2.3% 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 DFW?
- June 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from ORD
Other ways to fly to Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW)
Related guides
Based on 14,410 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.