Philadelphia (PHL) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 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 (85% vs 60%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 75%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 25 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.6%
- Flights/day
- 14
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 30m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 678 mi
Best airline from PHL to ORD
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 77% | 22 min | 1.6% | 3,564 |
| American Airlines | 75% | 25 min | 3.1% | 5,946 |
| Frontier Airlines | 57% | 48 min | 3.8% | 392 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PHL to ORD
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (89% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (51%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 26 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 19 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 18 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 26 min |
| Friday | 71% | 30 min |
| Saturday | 76% | 24 min |
| Sunday | 71% | 29 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft39%
- Airline operations25%
- National airspace system32%
- Weather5%
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 2024-07 and 2026-07. The average arrival delay across completed flights was 25 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 3,564 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 5 a.m. have the best record (89% on-time), while departures around 8 p.m. have the worst (51%). 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 30m 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?
- 2.6% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, 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 9,934 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.