Philadelphia (PHL) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on PHL–ORD. October 2024 flights landed on schedule 89% of the time, but July 2025 dropped to 60% — a gap of 29 points. Across the full period the route averages 75% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (84% vs 60%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 24 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.3%
- Flights/day
- 13
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 29m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 678 mi
Best airline from PHL to ORD
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 77% | 19 min | 1.3% | 3,326 |
| American Airlines | 75% | 25 min | 2.8% | 5,646 |
| Frontier Airlines | 58% | 48 min | 2.9% | 378 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PHL to ORD
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (56%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 25 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 20 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 24 min |
| Friday | 71% | 28 min |
| Saturday | 77% | 21 min |
| Sunday | 70% | 30 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 operations25%
- National airspace system30%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PHL to ORD delayed?
- 25% of PHL–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 24 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PHL to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 77%, based on 3,326 flights. 3 airlines flew PHL–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PHL to ORD?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 6 p.m. have the worst (56%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from PHL to ORD?
- The scheduled PHL–ORD flight time averages 2h 29m over 678 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 25% of the time.
- How often are PHL to ORD flights cancelled?
- 2.3% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from PHL to ORD?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 29-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 9,380 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.