Chicago (ORD) to San Antonio (SAT): On-Time Performance
Data through May 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 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.4%
- 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 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airwaysmost reliable | 82% | 11 min | 3.6% | 112 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 82% | 11 min | 2.0% | 245 |
| United Airlines | 77% | 18 min | 0.6% | 1,534 |
| Envoy Air | 74% | 15 min | 2.3% | 355 |
| American Airlines | 72% | 21 min | 1.7% | 1,262 |
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 (33%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 16 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 77% | 20 min |
| Wednesday | 76% | 22 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 16 min |
| Friday | 73% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 75% | 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 system16%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to SAT delayed?
- 25% of ORD–SAT 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 18 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 112 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 (33%). 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 25% of the time.
- How often are ORD to SAT 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 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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Based on 3,508 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.