Phoenix (PHX) to Chicago (MDW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
The calendar drives reliability on PHX–MDW. November 2024 flights landed on schedule 89% of the time, but March 2026 dropped to 60% — a gap of 28 points. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (89% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 13 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 0.7%
- Flights/day
- 7.7
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 18m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,444 mi
Best airline from PHX to MDW
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 12 min | 0.7% | 5,447 |
| Frontier Airlines | 73% | 22 min | 1.4% | 361 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from PHX to MDW
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 8 p.m. departures (56%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 14 min |
| Tuesday | 79% | 11 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 83% | 9 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 15 min |
| Friday | 76% | 13 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 9 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 15 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft44%
- Airline operations39%
- National airspace system14%
- Weather3%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from PHX to MDW delayed?
- 23% of PHX–MDW 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 13 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from PHX to MDW?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 5,447 flights. 2 airlines flew PHX–MDW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from PHX to MDW?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 8 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 PHX to MDW?
- The scheduled PHX–MDW flight time averages 3h 18m over 1,444 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are PHX to MDW flights cancelled?
- 0.7% 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 PHX to MDW?
- March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 5,808 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.