Chicago (ORD) to Louisville (SDF): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–SDF. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 89% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 63% — a gap of 26 points. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.1%
- Flights/day
- 7.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 30m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 286 mi
Best airline from ORD to SDF
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy Airmost reliable | 81% | 11 min | 1.0% | 906 |
| Republic Airways | 77% | 17 min | 2.4% | 3,060 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 72% | 22 min | 2.2% | 943 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to SDF
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (93% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (69%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 19 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 77% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 17 min |
| Friday | 76% | 16 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 21 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 operations26%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to SDF delayed?
- 23% of ORD–SDF 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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to SDF?
- Envoy Air has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 906 flights. 3 airlines flew ORD–SDF frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to SDF?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (69%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to SDF?
- The scheduled ORD–SDF flight time averages 1h 30m over 286 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are ORD to SDF flights cancelled?
- 2.1% 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 SDF?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 63% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 26-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 4,928 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.