Tampa (TPA) to Chicago (MDW): On-Time Performance
Data through May 2026
When you fly TPA to MDW matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 91% on-time in November 2024 to just 63% in July 2024. Across the full period the route averages 77% 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
- 77%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 15 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 2.0%
- Flights/day
- 4.5
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 2h 44m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 997 mi
Best airline from TPA to MDW
2 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-06 and 2026-05.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlinesmost reliable | 78% | 15 min | 1.7% | 3,069 |
| Frontier Airlines | 73% | 22 min | 4.9% | 306 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from TPA to MDW
Aim for departures around 6 a.m. (92% on-time); avoid 10 p.m. departures (57%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 75% | 19 min |
| Tuesday | 80% | 11 min |
| Wednesdaybest | 80% | 13 min |
| Thursday | 77% | 15 min |
| Friday | 78% | 14 min |
| Saturday | 79% | 13 min |
| Sunday | 74% | 20 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft53%
- Airline operations24%
- National airspace system17%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from TPA to MDW delayed?
- 23% of TPA–MDW 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 15 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from TPA to MDW?
- Southwest Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 78%, based on 3,069 flights. 2 airlines flew TPA–MDW frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from TPA to MDW?
- Departures around 6 a.m. have the best record (92% on-time), while departures around 10 p.m. have the worst (57%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from TPA to MDW?
- The scheduled TPA–MDW flight time averages 2h 44m over 997 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 23% of the time.
- How often are TPA to MDW flights cancelled?
- 2% of scheduled flights on this route were cancelled between 2024-06 and 2026-05, slightly above the national rate of 1.6%.
- What is the worst month to fly from TPA to MDW?
- July 2024 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 63% of arrivals on time. The best was November 2024 at 91%. If your dates are flexible, that 28-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 3,375 flights, 2024-06–2026-05. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-07-01.