Chicago (ORD) to Tucson (TUS): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly ORD to TUS matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 97% on-time in July 2024 to just 52% in April 2026. Across the full period the route averages 74% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (80% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 74%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 19 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 2.9
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 3m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,437 mi
Best airline from ORD to TUS
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 84% | 13 min | 0.0% | 280 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 75% | 17 min | 1.6% | 822 |
| American Airlines | 72% | 22 min | 0.9% | 1,179 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from ORD to TUS
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (85% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (37%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 72% | 21 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 18 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 19 min |
| Thursday | 72% | 20 min |
| Friday | 70% | 23 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 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 aircraft41%
- Airline operations36%
- National airspace system17%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from ORD to TUS delayed?
- 26% of ORD–TUS 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 19 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from ORD to TUS?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 280 flights. 3 airlines flew ORD–TUS frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from ORD to TUS?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (85% on-time), while departures around 10 p.m. have the worst (37%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from ORD to TUS?
- The scheduled ORD–TUS flight time averages 4h 3m over 1,437 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 26% of the time.
- How often are ORD to TUS flights cancelled?
- 1% 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 TUS?
- April 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 52% of arrivals on time. The best was July 2024 at 97%. If your dates are flexible, that 45-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,303 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.