Chicago (ORD) to Saginaw/Bay City/Midland (MBS): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
Chicago (ORD) to Saginaw/Bay City/Midland (MBS) effectively runs on two schedules. In April 2025, 89% of arrivals were on time; in April 2026 that fell to 49% — a 40-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 69% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (75% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 69%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 26 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.0%
- Flights/day
- 2.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 20m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 222 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to MBS
Aim for departures around 9 a.m. (87% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (40%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 63% | 30 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 78% | 23 min |
| Wednesday | 71% | 22 min |
| Thursday | 69% | 23 min |
| Friday | 65% | 30 min |
| Saturday | 71% | 21 min |
| Sunday | 62% | 34 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft36%
- Airline operations42%
- National airspace system16%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to MBS delayed?
- 31% of ORD–MBS 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 26 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to MBS?
- Departures around 9 a.m. have the best record (87% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (40%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to MBS?
- The scheduled ORD–MBS flight time averages 1h 20m over 222 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 31% of the time.
- How often are ORD to MBS flights cancelled?
- 2% 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 MBS?
- April 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 49% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2025 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 40-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,150 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.