Portland (PDX) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on PDX–ORD. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 91% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 62% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 7.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 5m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,739 mi
Best airline from PDX to ORD
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 83% | 12 min | 0.7% | 2,904 |
| Alaska Airlines | 78% | 10 min | 0.7% | 1,105 |
| American Airlines | 72% | 25 min | 1.3% | 1,352 |
| Spirit Airlines | 46% | 94 min | 8.2% | 61 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PDX to ORD
Aim for departures around 8 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 12 p.m. departures (53%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 80% | 15 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 15 min |
| Thursday | 78% | 17 min |
| Friday | 77% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 16 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft31%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system30%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PDX to ORD delayed?
- 21% of PDX–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 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PDX to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 2,904 flights. 4 airlines flew PDX–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PDX to ORD?
- Departures around 8 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 12 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 PDX to ORD?
- The scheduled PDX–ORD flight time averages 4h 5m over 1,739 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are PDX to ORD flights cancelled?
- 0.9% 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 PDX to ORD?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 62% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,422 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.