San Antonio (SAT) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SAT–ORD. September 2024 flights landed on schedule 93% of the time, but March 2026 dropped to 65% — a gap of 28 points. Across the full period the route averages 80% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 65%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 80%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Flights/day
- 5.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 55m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,041 mi
Best airline from SAT to ORD
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 83% | 16 min | 0.9% | 1,646 |
| American Airlines | 79% | 18 min | 1.8% | 1,325 |
| Envoy Air | 77% | 16 min | 2.9% | 416 |
| Republic Airways | 74% | 14 min | 4.4% | 114 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 67% | 27 min | 2.8% | 248 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SAT to ORD
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (88% on-time); avoid 6 p.m. departures (64%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 81% | 20 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 84% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 79% | 14 min |
| Friday | 77% | 20 min |
| Saturday | 81% | 18 min |
| Sunday | 78% | 17 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft40%
- Airline operations31%
- National airspace system24%
- Weather6%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAT to ORD delayed?
- 20% of SAT–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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SAT to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 83%, based on 1,646 flights. 5 airlines flew SAT–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SAT to ORD?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (88% on-time), while departures around 6 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 SAT to ORD?
- The scheduled SAT–ORD flight time averages 2h 55m over 1,041 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 20% of the time.
- How often are SAT to ORD flights cancelled?
- 1.7% 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 SAT to ORD?
- March 2026 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 65% of arrivals on time. The best was September 2024 at 93%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,749 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.