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Route · CLE → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Cleveland to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), CLE to MDW (Cleveland to Chicago) ranks #1763 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

86.3%
On-time
+7.3 pts
vs US avg
60 min
Delay when late
7,176
Flights
#1763 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.9%

Best Month

Nov 2024 92%

Worst Month

Jul 2025 74%

Distance

307 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 89 16 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 84 12 3 0 WN
Oct 2025 94 16 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 108 13 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 109 16 0 0 WN
Jul 2025 114 30 2 0 WN
Jun 2025 108 22 0 1 WN
May 2025 87 11 0 0 WN
Apr 2025 86 8 0 0 WN
Mar 2025 86 13 1 0 WN
Feb 2025 70 11 0 0 WN
Jan 2025 72 17 1 0 WN
Dec 2024 87 13 0 0 WN
Nov 2024 85 7 0 0 WN
Oct 2024 94 11 0 0 WN
Sep 2024 106 13 0 0 WN
Aug 2024 110 18 0 0 WN
Jul 2024 103 11 3 0 WN
Jun 2024 101 14 0 0 WN
May 2024 103 23 1 0 WN
Apr 2024 99 14 0 0 WN
Mar 2024 100 19 1 0 WN
Feb 2024 87 10 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 97 18 9 1 WN

CLE–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (89.2%) · weakest: July (80.5%)

80%82%84%86%88%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 87.2%

Strongest calendar month

September

89.2% on-time · ~108 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~114 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

80.5% on-time · ~112 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.9%

21 of 2,279 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

2 of 2,279 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

CLE - Cleveland

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Cleveland, OH.

CLE 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 CLE and MDW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare CLE vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among CLE's stronger departures

CLE → MDW posts a 86.3% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 12 of 30 BTS-tracked routes leaving Cleveland. The same hub also shows 17 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #818 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About CLE to MDW

Cleveland to Chicago (CLE to MDW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 86.3% on-time rate across 7,176 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 60.1 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 307 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 21 of 2,279 flights were cancelled (0.9%) and 2 diverted (0.1%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Nov 2024 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 74% - a 18-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, CLE–MDW peaks in September at 89.2% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~114 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 80.5%, a 8.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does CLE to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, CLE to MDW ranks #1763 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 CLE to MDW? ▼
Flights from Cleveland to Chicago have a 86.3% on-time rate based on 7,176 flights. The average delay is 60.1 minutes. The best recent month was Nov 2024 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for CLE to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (21 of 2,279 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from CLE to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Cleveland (CLE) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 307 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from CLE to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Nov 2024 (92% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (74% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

CLE Airport

Cleveland
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 CLE–MDW data

CLE–MDW runs 7.3 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare CLE and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. CLE airport
  • If your dates flex, September (89.2% on-time) beats July (80.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 86.3% 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.