West Palm Beach/Palm Beach (PBI) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly PBI to ORD matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 87% on-time in October 2024 to just 45% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 69% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (85% vs 58%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 69%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 28 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.4%
- Flights/day
- 3.6
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 25m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,144 mi
Best airline from PBI to ORD
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 70% | 26 min | 0.4% | 967 |
| American Airlines | 69% | 30 min | 2.0% | 1,399 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PBI to ORD
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (52%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 67% | 32 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 80% | 18 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 25 min |
| Thursday | 67% | 28 min |
| Friday | 65% | 27 min |
| Saturday | 67% | 32 min |
| Sunday | 66% | 35 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft45%
- Airline operations24%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PBI to ORD delayed?
- 31% of PBI–ORD 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 28 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PBI to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 70%, based on 967 flights. 2 airlines flew PBI–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PBI to ORD?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (52%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PBI to ORD?
- The scheduled PBI–ORD flight time averages 3h 25m over 1,144 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 31% of the time.
- How often are PBI to ORD flights cancelled?
- 1.4% 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 PBI to ORD?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 45% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 87%. If your dates are flexible, that 42-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,414 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.