PlainFlights

Route · CAE → ORD · 2020–2025 BTS data

Columbia to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), CAE to ORD (Columbia to Chicago) ranks #4186 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.3%
On-time
+3.3 pts
vs US avg
79 min
Delay when late
1,446
Flights
#4186 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.3%

Best Month

Mar 2024 97%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 69%

Distance

666 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 79 23 3 0 OO
Nov 2025 90 18 9 0 OO
Oct 2025 84 17 0 0 OO
Jan 2025 56 9 0 0 OO
Dec 2024 59 10 0 0 OO
Nov 2024 60 10 0 0 OO
Oct 2024 62 4 0 0 OO
Sep 2024 60 9 0 0 OO
Aug 2024 62 16 0 2 OO
Jul 2024 61 19 0 1 OO
Jun 2024 60 11 1 0 OO
May 2024 62 15 1 0 OO
Apr 2024 60 3 0 1 OO
Mar 2024 62 2 0 0 OO
Feb 2024 58 9 0 0 OO
Jan 2024 60 9 3 0 OO
Dec 2023 51 6 0 0 OO
Nov 2023 59 5 0 0 OO
Oct 2023 62 12 0 0 OO
Sep 2023 58 6 0 0 OO
Aug 2023 62 13 1 0 OO
Jul 2023 62 17 1 0 OO
Jun 2023 57 13 0 1 OO

CAE–ORD seasonal on-time pattern

Best: March (96.8%) · weakest: July (70.7%)

60%70%80%90%100% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.4%

Strongest calendar month

March

96.8% on-time · ~62 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

November

~70 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

70.7% on-time · ~62 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.3%

19 of 1,446 flights

Diversion Rate

0.3%

5 of 1,446 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

CAE - Columbia

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Columbia, SC.

CAE on-time profile

ORD - Chicago

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

ORD on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See CAE and ORD side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare CAE vs ORD

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among CAE departures

From CAE, this corridor sits with 4 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 6 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (2 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Chicago · fleet on-time rank #2219 of 4927.

What the Data Says About CAE to ORD

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Columbia to Chicago (CAE to ORD) running a 82.3% on-time rate over 1,446 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 78.6 minutes. The 666-mile corridor is served by 1 carrier, and over the last 24 months 1.3% of 1,446 flights were cancelled, 0.3% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Mar 2024 posted the strongest performance at 97% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 69% - a 28-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, CAE–ORD peaks in March at 96.8% on-time while November carries the heaviest traffic (~70 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 70.7%, a 26.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does CAE to ORD rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, CAE to ORD ranks #4186 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 CAE to ORD? ▼
Flights from Columbia to Chicago have a 82.3% on-time rate based on 1,446 flights. The average delay is 78.6 minutes. The best recent month was Mar 2024 with 97% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for CAE to ORD? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.3% of flights on this route were cancelled (19 of 1,446 flights) and 0.3% were diverted.
How far is the flight from CAE to ORD? ▼
The flight distance from Columbia (CAE) to Chicago (ORD) is approximately 666 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from CAE to ORD? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Mar 2024 (97% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (69% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

CAE Airport

Columbia
ORD 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 CAE–ORD data

CAE–ORD runs 3.3 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare CAE and ORD airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. CAE airport
  • If your dates flex, March (96.8% on-time) beats July (70.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.3% 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.