Tucson (TUS) to Chicago (ORD): On-Time Performance
Data through July 2026
When you fly TUS to ORD matters as much as anything else about the booking: the route swung from 94% on-time in October 2024 to just 67% in August 2025. Across the full period the route averages 81% on-time against a national 78%.
- On-time
- 81%
- arrived <15 min late
- Avg delay
- 17 min
- completed flights
- Cancelled
- 1.1%
- Flights/day
- 2.8
- last 12 months
- Duration
- 3h 35m
- scheduled
- Distance
- 1,437 mi
Best airline from TUS to ORD
3 airlines flew this route regularly between 2024-07 and 2026-07.
| Airline | On-time | Avg delay | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlinesmost reliable | 87% | 13 min | 1.1% | 281 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 82% | 11 min | 1.3% | 820 |
| American Airlines | 79% | 22 min | 0.9% | 1,177 |
Monthly on-time trend
Best time to fly from TUS to ORD
Aim for departures around 11 p.m. (100% on-time); avoid 2 p.m. departures (72%).
By day of week
| Day | On-time | Avg delay |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | 78% | 21 min |
| Tuesday | 84% | 11 min |
| Wednesday | 78% | 22 min |
| Thursday | 83% | 18 min |
| Friday | 82% | 11 min |
| Saturdaybest | 85% | 17 min |
| Sunday | 80% | 19 min |
What causes delays on this route
Share of total delay minutes by cause, as reported by carriers to the US DOT.
- Late-arriving aircraft36%
- Airline operations36%
- National airspace system23%
- Weather5%
Frequently asked questions
- How often are flights from TUS to ORD delayed?
- 19% of TUS–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 17 minutes.
- Which airline is most reliable from TUS to ORD?
- United Airlines has the best on-time record on this route at 87%, based on 281 flights. 3 airlines flew TUS–ORD frequently enough to compare in this period.
- What is the best time of day to fly from TUS to ORD?
- Departures around 11 p.m. have the best record (100% on-time), while departures around 2 p.m. have the worst (72%). As on most US routes, delays accumulate through the day, so earlier flights are generally safer.
- How long is the flight from TUS to ORD?
- The scheduled TUS–ORD flight time averages 3h 35m over 1,437 miles. Actual arrival times vary — flights on this route land 15+ minutes late 19% of the time.
- How often are TUS to ORD flights cancelled?
- 1.1% 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 TUS to ORD?
- August 2025 was the roughest month in this dataset, with only 67% of arrivals on time. The best was October 2024 at 94%. If your dates are flexible, that 27-point gap is worth planning around.
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Based on 2,300 flights, 2024-07–2026-07. Source: US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Updated 2026-09-28.