Chicago (ORD) to San Francisco (SFO): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–SFO. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 87% of the time, but May 2026 dropped to 59% — a gap of 28 points. Across the full period the route averages 73% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (81% vs 60%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 73%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 20 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 15
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 49m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,846 mi
Best airline from ORD to SFO
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 75% | 18 min | 1.0% | 7,310 |
| American Airlines | 68% | 23 min | 1.3% | 2,922 |
| Alaska Airlines | 63% | 25 min | 0.6% | 506 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to SFO
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (90% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (55%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 71% | 21 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 78% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 72% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 20 min |
| Friday | 71% | 21 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 69% | 23 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft39%
- Airline operations29%
- National airspace system28%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to SFO delayed?
- 27% of ORD–SFO 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 20 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to SFO?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 75%, based on 7,310 flights. 3 airlines flew ORD–SFO frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to SFO?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (90% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (55%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to SFO?
- The scheduled ORD–SFO flight time averages 4h 49m over 1,846 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 27% of the time.
- How often are ORD to SFO flights cancelled?
- 1% 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 SFO?
- May 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
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Based on 10,738 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.