Chicago (ORD) to San Antonio (SAT): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–SAT. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 93% of the time, but July 2024 dropped to 56% — a gap of 38 points. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (83% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 74%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.5%
- Flights/day
- 5.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 4m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,041 mi
Best airline from ORD to SAT
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 82% | 11 min | 3.5% | 114 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 82% | 12 min | 2.0% | 249 |
| United Airlines | 76% | 19 min | 0.8% | 1,645 |
| Envoy Air | 76% | 15 min | 2.2% | 416 |
| American Airlines | 70% | 23 min | 1.8% | 1,320 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to SAT
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 9 p.m. departures (35%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 77% | 19 min |
| Wednesday | 75% | 24 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 19 min |
| Friday | 72% | 22 min |
| Saturday | 74% | 17 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 aircraft49%
- Airline operations30%
- National airspace system15%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to SAT delayed?
- 26% of ORD–SAT 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 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to SAT?
- Republic Airways has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 114 flights. 5 airlines flew ORD–SAT frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to SAT?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 9 p.m. have the worst (35%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to SAT?
- The scheduled ORD–SAT flight time averages 3h 4m over 1,041 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are ORD to SAT flights cancelled?
- 1.5% 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 SAT?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 56% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 38-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Related guides
Based on 3,744 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.