FlightRecord

Chicago (ORD) to San Juan (SJU): On-Time Performance

Data through May 2026

Chicago (ORD) to San Juan (SJU) effectively runs on two schedules. In February 2025, 89% of arrivals were on time; in March 2026 that fell to 59% — a 30-point seasonal swing. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (78% vs 66%), which matters most in the rough months.

On-time
77%
arrived <15 min late
Avg delay
15 min
completed flights
Cancelled
1.3%
Flights/day
3.9
last 12 months
Duration
4h 43m
scheduled
Distance
2,072 mi

Best airline from ORD to SJU

3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.

AirlineOn-timeAvg delayCancelledFlights
United Airlinesmost reliable79%12 min0.2%1,221
American Airlines77%14 min0.9%671
Spirit Airlines73%22 min3.4%804

Monthly on-time trend

Monthly on-time percentage for ORD to SJU flights50%75%100%June 2024: 74% on-time (121 flights)74Jun 2024July 2024: 72% on-time (128 flights)72August 2024: 66% on-time (95 flights)66September 2024: 84% on-time (50 flights)84Sep 2024October 2024: 87% on-time (55 flights)87November 2024: 83% on-time (94 flights)83December 2024: 79% on-time (134 flights)79Dec 2024January 2025: 77% on-time (114 flights)77February 2025: 89% on-time (92 flights)89March 2025: 77% on-time (151 flights)77Mar 2025April 2025: 88% on-time (128 flights)88May 2025: 82% on-time (116 flights)82June 2025: 84% on-time (117 flights)84Jun 2025July 2025: 72% on-time (127 flights)72August 2025: 72% on-time (111 flights)72September 2025: 78% on-time (51 flights)78Sep 2025October 2025: 80% on-time (74 flights)80November 2025: 74% on-time (100 flights)74December 2025: 73% on-time (131 flights)73Dec 2025January 2026: 69% on-time (155 flights)69February 2026: 87% on-time (139 flights)87March 2026: 59% on-time (179 flights)59Mar 2026April 2026: 78% on-time (140 flights)78May 2026: 82% on-time (105 flights)82

Best time to fly from ORD to SJU

Aim for departures around 1 p.m. (92% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (53%).

On-time percentage by scheduled departure hour, ORD to SJU5 a.m.: 68% on-time (35 flights)58 a.m.: 79% on-time (1,248 flights)89 a.m.: 76% on-time (259 flights)910 a.m.: 79% on-time (64 flights)1011 a.m.: 77% on-time (53 flights)1112 p.m.: 68% on-time (187 flights)121 p.m.: 92% on-time (75 flights)132 p.m.: 83% on-time (352 flights)143 p.m.: 72% on-time (41 flights)156 p.m.: 66% on-time (206 flights)188 p.m.: 53% on-time (69 flights)2010 p.m.: 77% on-time (69 flights)22scheduled departure hour

By day of week

DayOn-timeAvg delay
Monday77%12 min
Tuesdaybest81%20 min
Wednesday79%15 min
Thursday76%15 min
Friday74%15 min
Saturday79%13 min
Sunday72%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 aircraft26%
  • Airline operations33%
  • National airspace system34%
  • Weather7%

Frequently asked questions

How often are flights from ORD to SJU delayed?
23% of ORD–SJU 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 15 minutes.
Which airline is most reliable from ORD to SJU?
United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 79%, based on 1,221 flights. 3 airlines flew ORD–SJU frequently enough to compare in this period.
What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to SJU?
Departures around 1 p.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 8 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 SJU?
The scheduled ORD–SJU flight time averages 4h 43m over 2,072 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
How often are ORD to SJU flights cancelled?
1.3% 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 SJU?
March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2025 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 30-point gap is worth planning around.

Based on 2,707 flights, 2024-062026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.