Portland (PDX) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through May 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 80% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.9%
- Flights/day
- 7.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 4m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,739 mi
Best airline from PDX to ORD
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 83% | 12 min | 0.6% | 2,745 |
| Alaska Airlines | 78% | 10 min | 0.8% | 1,047 |
| American Airlines | 74% | 23 min | 1.2% | 1,164 |
| Spirit Airlines | 54% | 72 min | 5.8% | 86 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PDX to ORD
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (91% on-time); avoid 12 p.m. departures (58%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 81% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 82% | 10 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 16 min |
| Friday | 78% | 17 min |
| Saturdaybest | 83% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 77% | 20 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft34%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system27%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PDX to ORD delayed?
- 20% of PDX–ORD 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 PDX to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 2,745 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 6 a.m. have the best record (91% on-time), while departures around 12 p.m. have the worst (58%). 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 4m over 1,739 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are PDX to ORD flights cancelled?
- 0.9% 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 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 5,042 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.