San Antonio (SAT) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through May 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 81% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (88% vs 64%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.5%
- Flights/day
- 5.4
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 54m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,041 mi
Best airline from SAT to ORD
5 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 84% | 14 min | 0.7% | 1,535 |
| American Airlines | 80% | 17 min | 1.7% | 1,267 |
| Envoy Air | 78% | 16 min | 2.3% | 355 |
| Republic Airways | 75% | 13 min | 4.5% | 112 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 68% | 26 min | 2.5% | 244 |
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 (61%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 82% | 19 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 82% | 17 min |
| Wednesday | 80% | 15 min |
| Thursday | 80% | 13 min |
| Friday | 79% | 18 min |
| Saturday | 82% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 79% | 16 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 operations34%
- National airspace system23%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SAT to ORD delayed?
- 19% of SAT–ORD 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 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SAT to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 84%, based on 1,535 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 (61%). 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 54m over 1,041 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are SAT to ORD flights cancelled?
- 1.5% 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 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.
Explore related pages
More routes from SAT
Based on 3,513 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.