Chicago (ORD) to New York (JFK): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly ORD to JFK matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 89% on-time in October 2024 to just 55% in June 2024. Across the full period the route averages 73% 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
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 24 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.7%
- Flights/day
- 5.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 23m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 740 mi
Best airline from ORD to JFK
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 82% | 16 min | 2.4% | 547 |
| Republic Airways | 76% | 18 min | 2.1% | 1,304 |
| JetBlue Airways | 76% | 26 min | 2.9% | 1,064 |
| American Airlines | 66% | 30 min | 2.9% | 1,347 |
| Frontier Airlines | 60% | 41 min | 4.3% | 117 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to JFK
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (86% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 70% | 27 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 18 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 26 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 28 min |
| Friday | 72% | 22 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 21 min |
| Sunday | 68% | 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 aircraft38%
- Airline operations28%
- National airspace system29%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to JFK delayed?
- 27% of ORD–JFK 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 24 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to JFK?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 547 flights. 5 airlines flew ORD–JFK frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to JFK?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (58%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to JFK?
- The scheduled ORD–JFK flight time averages 2h 23m over 740 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 27% of the time.
- How often are ORD to JFK flights cancelled?
- 2.7% 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 JFK?
- June 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 55% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 33-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Related guides
Based on 4,395 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.