Chicago (ORD) to New Orleans (MSY): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly ORD to MSY matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 89% on-time in September 2025 to just 61% 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 (85% vs 62%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.9%
- Flights/day
- 6.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 32m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 837 mi
Best airline from ORD to MSY
6 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy Airmost reliable | 82% | 11 min | 1.6% | 628 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 81% | 11 min | 1.9% | 264 |
| Republic Airways | 80% | 14 min | 2.6% | 571 |
| United Airlines | 77% | 16 min | 1.4% | 1,733 |
| Spirit Airlines | 70% | 24 min | 4.3% | 397 |
| American Airlines | 67% | 31 min | 1.7% | 862 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to MSY
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (57%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 22 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 15 min |
| Wednesday | 77% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 16 min |
| Friday | 74% | 21 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 20 min |
| Sunday | 73% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft45%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system18%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to MSY delayed?
- 24% of ORD–MSY 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 MSY?
- Envoy Air has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 628 flights. 6 airlines flew ORD–MSY frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to MSY?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (57%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to MSY?
- The scheduled ORD–MSY flight time averages 2h 32m over 837 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are ORD to MSY flights cancelled?
- 1.9% 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 MSY?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 61% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2025 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Related guides
Based on 4,466 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.