Chicago (ORD) to Pensacola (PNS): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–PNS. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 94% of the time, but April 2026 dropped to 70% — a gap of 24 points. Across the full period the route averages 82% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 82%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.4%
- Flights/day
- 1.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 27m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 794 mi
Best airline from ORD to PNS
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 10 min | 1.2% | 86 |
| United Airlines | 83% | 13 min | 0.7% | 678 |
| Envoy Air | 78% | 14 min | 2.9% | 240 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to PNS
Aim for departures around 11 a.m. (84% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (53%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 84% | 13 min |
| Tuesday | 83% | 12 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 86% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 83% | 15 min |
| Friday | 79% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 84% | 9 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 14 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft47%
- Airline operations22%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather12%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to PNS delayed?
- 18% of ORD–PNS 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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to PNS?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 86 flights. 3 airlines flew ORD–PNS frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to PNS?
- Departures around 11 a.m. have the best record (84% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (53%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to PNS?
- The scheduled ORD–PNS flight time averages 2h 27m over 794 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 18% of the time.
- How often are ORD to PNS flights cancelled?
- 1.4% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from ORD to PNS?
- April 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 70% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 24-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 1,090 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.