Seattle (SEA) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
The calendar drives reliability on SEA–ORD. February 2026 flights landed on schedule 92% of the time, but August 2025 dropped to 60% — a gap of 32 points. Across the full period the route averages 76% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 76%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 18 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.0%
- Flights/day
- 15
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 4h 8m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,721 mi
Best airline from SEA to ORD
4 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 16 min | 0.8% | 3,233 |
| Delta Air Lines | 78% | 16 min | 0.9% | 1,907 |
| American Airlines | 73% | 25 min | 1.6% | 2,367 |
| Alaska Airlines | 72% | 16 min | 0.8% | 3,840 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SEA to ORD
Aim for departures around 5 a.m. (94% on-time); avoid 1 p.m. departures (55%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 73% | 20 min |
| Tuesdaybest | 81% | 16 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 17 min |
| Thursday | 74% | 19 min |
| Friday | 74% | 19 min |
| Saturday | 78% | 15 min |
| Sunday | 72% | 18 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft30%
- Airline operations37%
- National airspace system31%
- Weather2%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SEA to ORD delayed?
- 24% of SEA–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 SEA to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 3,233 flights. 4 airlines flew SEA–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SEA to ORD?
- Departures around 5 a.m. have the best record (94% on-time), while departures around 1 p.m. have the worst (55%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SEA to ORD?
- The scheduled SEA–ORD flight time averages 4h 8m over 1,721 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 24% of the time.
- How often are SEA to ORD flights cancelled?
- 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 SEA to ORD?
- August 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 60% of arrivals on time. The best was February 2026 at 92%. If your dates are flexible, that 32-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 11,347 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.