Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly RDU to ORD matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 89% on-time in October 2024 to just 65% in July 2025. Across the full period the route averages 77% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 56%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 22 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.1%
- Flights/day
- 10
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 29m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 646 mi
Best airline from RDU to ORD
6 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SkyWest Airlinesmost reliable | 85% | 28 min | 2.8% | 247 |
| American Airlines | 84% | 22 min | 2.3% | 1,263 |
| United Airlines | 79% | 19 min | 1.1% | 2,539 |
| Republic Airways | 73% | 21 min | 3.3% | 1,733 |
| Envoy Air | 73% | 23 min | 1.7% | 1,170 |
| Frontier Airlines | 56% | 49 min | 6.1% | 213 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from RDU to ORD
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 5 p.m. departures (52%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 24 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 18 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 21 min |
| Thursday | 76% | 23 min |
| Friday | 72% | 24 min |
| Saturdaybest | 80% | 22 min |
| Sunday | 76% | 21 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft35%
- Airline operations28%
- National airspace system31%
- Weather7%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from RDU to ORD delayed?
- 23% of RDU–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 22 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from RDU to ORD?
- SkyWest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 85%, based on 247 flights. 6 airlines flew RDU–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from RDU to ORD?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 5 p.m. have the worst (52%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from RDU to ORD?
- The scheduled RDU–ORD flight time averages 2h 29m over 646 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are RDU to ORD flights cancelled?
- 2.1% 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 RDU to ORD?
- July 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 89%. If your dates are flexible, that 24-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 7,167 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.