Chicago (ORD) to Des Moines (DSM): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly ORD to DSM matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 86% on-time in October 2024 to just 60% in December 2025. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (82% vs 63%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 21 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.8%
- Flights/day
- 9.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 29m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 299 mi
Best airline from ORD to DSM
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 80% | 15 min | 3.0% | 1,115 |
| United Airlines | 75% | 18 min | 1.6% | 1,923 |
| Envoy Air | 75% | 16 min | 2.4% | 840 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 67% | 27 min | 4.1% | 1,739 |
| American Airlines | 62% | 39 min | 3.4% | 409 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to DSM
Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (84% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (54%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 71% | 26 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 79% | 17 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 21 min |
| Friday | 70% | 21 min |
| Saturday | 74% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 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 aircraft41%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system15%
- Weather12%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to DSM delayed?
- 27% of ORD–DSM 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 21 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to DSM?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 80%, based on 1,115 flights. 5 airlines flew ORD–DSM frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to DSM?
- Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (84% on-time), while departures around 10 p.m. have the worst (54%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to DSM?
- The scheduled ORD–DSM flight time averages 1h 29m over 299 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 27% of the time.
- How often are ORD to DSM flights cancelled?
- 2.8% 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 DSM?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 25-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 6,027 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.