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Route · BHM → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Birmingham to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), BHM to MDW (Birmingham to Chicago) ranks #3416 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82%
On-time
+3 pts
vs US avg
63 min
Delay when late
2,743
Flights
#3416 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.2%

Best Month

Oct 2024 94%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 68%

Distance

570 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 44 7 0 1 WN
Nov 2025 45 9 2 1 WN
Oct 2025 56 10 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 47 4 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 48 9 2 0 WN
Jul 2025 57 7 0 0 WN
Jun 2025 56 15 2 0 WN
May 2025 56 10 0 0 WN
Apr 2025 50 7 0 0 WN
Mar 2025 31 4 0 0 WN
Jan 2025 31 3 0 0 WN
Dec 2024 44 7 0 0 WN
Nov 2024 47 6 0 1 WN
Oct 2024 54 3 0 0 WN
Sep 2024 47 6 0 0 WN
Aug 2024 49 8 0 1 WN
Jul 2024 57 18 1 0 WN
Jun 2024 55 12 0 0 WN
May 2024 57 16 0 1 WN
Apr 2024 55 6 0 0 WN
Mar 2024 50 8 0 0 WN
Feb 2024 42 2 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 48 3 6 0 WN
Dec 2023 62 9 1 1 WN

BHM–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (93.3%) · weakest: July (71.8%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.9%

Strongest calendar month

February

93.3% on-time · ~45 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~52 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

71.8% on-time · ~52 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.2%

14 of 1,188 flights

Diversion Rate

0.5%

6 of 1,188 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

BHM - Birmingham

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Birmingham, AL.

BHM on-time profile

MDW - Chicago

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.

MDW on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See BHM and MDW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare BHM vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among BHM departures

From BHM, this corridor sits with 16 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 18 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (2 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Chicago · fleet on-time rank #2333 of 4927.

What the Data Says About BHM to MDW

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Birmingham to Chicago (BHM to MDW) running a 82% on-time rate over 2,743 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 62.8 minutes. The 570-mile corridor is served by 1 carrier, and over the last 24 months 1.2% of 1,188 flights were cancelled, 0.5% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 68% - a 26-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, BHM–MDW peaks in February at 93.3% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~52 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 71.8%, a 21.5-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does BHM to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, BHM to MDW ranks #3416 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1). That ordinal matches our busiest-routes listing (total_flights DESC). See /methodology#corpus-placement for the exact sort basis.
How often are flights delayed from BHM to MDW? ▼
Flights from Birmingham to Chicago have a 82% on-time rate based on 2,743 flights. The average delay is 62.8 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for BHM to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.2% of flights on this route were cancelled (14 of 1,188 flights) and 0.5% were diverted.
How far is the flight from BHM to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Birmingham (BHM) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 570 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from BHM to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (68% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

BHM Airport

Birmingham
MDW Airport

Chicago
Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using BHM–MDW data

BHM–MDW runs 3 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare BHM and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. BHM airport
  • If your dates flex, February (93.3% on-time) beats July (71.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82% on-time rate; compare before you commit to this pairing. Similar routes

On-time rate reflects the BTS historical average across all reporting carriers on this origin–destination pair, not any single flight or booking recommendation.

Data sourced from U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) On-Time Performance data. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFlights

Every figure on PlainFlights is rendered directly from BTS On-Time Performance data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page aggregates this specific route's on-time performance and monthly trend, live from the dataset. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.