Chicago (ORD) to Santa Ana (SNA): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on ORD–SNA. May 2025 flights landed on schedule 90% of the time, but April 2026 dropped to 71% — a gap of 18 points. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 6.0
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 33m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,726 mi
Best airline from ORD to SNA
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 14 min | 1.2% | 2,294 |
| United Airlines | 78% | 11 min | 0.1% | 2,218 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to SNA
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 11 a.m. departures (71%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 76% | 14 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 84% | 9 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 12 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 12 min |
| Friday | 76% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 12 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 15 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft42%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to SNA delayed?
- 22% of ORD–SNA 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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to SNA?
- American Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 2,294 flights. 2 airlines flew ORD–SNA frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to SNA?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 11 a.m. have the worst (71%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to SNA?
- The scheduled ORD–SNA flight time averages 4h 33m over 1,726 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are ORD to SNA flights cancelled?
- 0.7% 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 SNA?
- April 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 71% of arrivals on time. The best was May 2025 at 90%. If your dates are flexible, that 18-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 4,512 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.