Chicago (ORD) to Houston (IAH): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly ORD to IAH matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 89% on-time in October 2024 to just 57% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 67%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.4%
- Flights/day
- 17
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 57m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 925 mi
Best airline from ORD to IAH
6 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 79% | 14 min | 0.9% | 8,170 |
| Republic Airways | 75% | 19 min | 2.6% | 577 |
| Frontier Airlines | 75% | 24 min | 3.4% | 464 |
| Envoy Air | 74% | 17 min | 1.3% | 469 |
| Spirit Airlines | 67% | 29 min | 2.8% | 896 |
| American Airlines | 65% | 29 min | 2.6% | 1,675 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to IAH
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 7 p.m. departures (63%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 21 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 80% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 17 min |
| Friday | 72% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft39%
- Airline operations27%
- National airspace system28%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to IAH delayed?
- 24% of ORD–IAH 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 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to IAH?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 8,170 flights. 6 airlines flew ORD–IAH frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to IAH?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 7 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 IAH?
- The scheduled ORD–IAH flight time averages 2h 57m over 925 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are ORD to IAH flights cancelled?
- 1.4% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from ORD to IAH?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 57% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Related guides
Based on 12,258 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.