San Diego (SAN) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly SAN to ORD matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 93% on-time in April 2025 to just 69% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 79% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 79%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Flights/day
- 11
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 14m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,723 mi
Best airline from SAN to ORD
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 82% | 15 min | 0.7% | 3,584 |
| American Airlines | 79% | 19 min | 1.3% | 2,742 |
| Alaska Airlines | 71% | 19 min | 2.3% | 777 |
| Frontier Airlines | 32% | 96 min | 2.5% | 80 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SAN to ORD
Aim for departures around 10 p.m. (93% on-time); avoid 1 p.m. departures (64%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 79% | 18 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 84% | 14 min |
| Wednesday | 81% | 15 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 20 min |
| Friday | 76% | 24 min |
| Saturday | 83% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 75% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft38%
- Airline operations28%
- National airspace system29%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAN to ORD delayed?
- 21% of SAN–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 18 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SAN to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 82%, based on 3,584 flights. 4 airlines flew SAN–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SAN to ORD?
- Departures around 10 p.m. have the best record (93% on-time), while departures around 1 p.m. have the worst (64%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SAN to ORD?
- The scheduled SAN–ORD flight time averages 4h 14m over 1,723 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 21% of the time.
- How often are SAN to ORD flights cancelled?
- 1.1% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-07 and 2026-07, at or below the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from SAN to ORD?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 69% of arrivals on time. The best was April 2025 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 24-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 7,183 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.