San Juan (SJU) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly SJU to ORD matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 86% on-time in June 2025 to just 59% in August 2024. Across the full period the route averages 78% on-time against a national 78%. Morning departures also hold up better than evening ones (93% vs 78%), which matters most in the rough months.
- On-time
- 78%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 16 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.5%
- Flights/day
- 3.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 5h 20m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 2,072 mi
Best airline from SJU to ORD
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 81% | 10 min | 0.5% | 1,307 |
| Spirit Airlines | 81% | 14 min | 3.2% | 743 |
| American Airlines | 72% | 29 min | 1.3% | 699 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from SJU to ORD
Aim for departures around 7 a.m. (95% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (67%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 77% | 17 min |
| Tuesday | 77% | 27 min |
| Wednesday | 79% | 14 min |
| Thursday | 75% | 14 min |
| Friday | 80% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 14 min |
| Sundaybest | 80% | 14 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft37%
- Airline operations34%
- National airspace system25%
- Weather4%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from SJU to ORD delayed?
- 22% of SJU–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 16 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from SJU to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 81%, based on 1,307 flights. 3 airlines flew SJU–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from SJU to ORD?
- Departures around 7 a.m. have the best record (95% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (67%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from SJU to ORD?
- The scheduled SJU–ORD flight time averages 5h 20m over 2,072 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 22% of the time.
- How often are SJU to ORD flights cancelled?
- 1.5% 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 SJU to ORD?
- August 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 59% of arrivals on time. The best was June 2025 at 86%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,791 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.