South Bend (SBN) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SBN–ORD. November 2024 flights landed on schedule 88% of the time, but December 2025 dropped to 52% — a gap of 36 points. Across the full period the route averages 71% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (78% vs 59%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 71%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 29 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.6%
- Flights/day
- 7.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 1h 9m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 84 mi
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SBN to ORD
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (86% on-time); avoid 4 p.m. departures (53%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 69% | 34 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 74% | 27 min |
| Wednesday | 73% | 30 min |
| Thursday | 73% | 22 min |
| Friday | 66% | 29 min |
| Saturday | 73% | 27 min |
| Sunday | 66% | 34 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft33%
- Airline operations36%
- National airspace system20%
- Weather11%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SBN to ORD delayed?
- 30% of SBN–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 29 minutes.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SBN to ORD?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (86% on-time), while departures around 4 p.m. have the worst (53%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SBN to ORD?
- The scheduled SBN–ORD flight time averages 1h 9m over 84 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 30% of the time.
- How often are SBN to ORD flights cancelled?
- 2.6% 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 SBN to ORD?
- December 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 52% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 88%. If your dates are flexible, that 36-point gap is worth planning around.
Explore related pages
More routes from SBN
Other ways to fly to Chicago (ORD)
Related guides
Based on 5,041 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.