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Route · CMH → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Columbus to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), CMH to MDW (Columbus to Chicago) ranks #1562 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85.2%
On-time
+6.2 pts
vs US avg
62 min
Delay when late
7,917
Flights
#1562 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.0%

Best Month

Oct 2024 94%

Worst Month

Jul 2025 72%

Distance

283 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 106 28 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 103 16 4 0 WN
Oct 2025 119 18 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 115 7 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 121 12 0 0 WN
Jul 2025 131 37 1 0 WN
Jun 2025 125 26 0 0 WN
May 2025 91 10 0 0 WN
Apr 2025 89 10 0 0 WN
Mar 2025 89 15 1 0 WN
Feb 2025 82 9 0 0 WN
Jan 2025 94 15 2 0 WN
Dec 2024 106 20 0 0 WN
Nov 2024 105 15 0 0 WN
Oct 2024 116 7 2 0 WN
Sep 2024 115 10 0 0 WN
Aug 2024 119 13 0 0 WN
Jul 2024 119 16 2 0 WN
Jun 2024 115 22 0 0 WN
May 2024 129 31 0 0 WN
Apr 2024 120 21 0 0 WN
Mar 2024 108 28 0 1 WN
Feb 2024 95 10 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 107 20 14 0 WN

CMH–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (90.3%) · weakest: June (77.5%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 83%

Strongest calendar month

February

90.3% on-time · ~91 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~127 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

77.5% on-time · ~118 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.0%

26 of 2,619 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

1 of 2,619 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

CMH - Columbus

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

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

Compare CMH vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among CMH's stronger departures

CMH → MDW posts a 85.2% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 13 of 33 BTS-tracked routes leaving Columbus. The same hub also shows 19 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #1145 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About CMH to MDW

Columbus to Chicago (CMH to MDW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.2% on-time rate across 7,917 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 61.7 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 283 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 26 of 2,619 flights were cancelled (1.0%) and 1 diverted (0.0%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 72% - a 22-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, CMH–MDW peaks in February at 90.3% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~127 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 77.5%, a 12.8-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does CMH to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, CMH to MDW ranks #1562 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 CMH to MDW? ▼
Flights from Columbus to Chicago have a 85.2% on-time rate based on 7,917 flights. The average delay is 61.7 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for CMH to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (26 of 2,619 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from CMH to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Columbus (CMH) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 283 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from CMH to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (72% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

CMH Airport

Columbus
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 CMH–MDW data

CMH–MDW runs 6.2 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare CMH and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. CMH airport
  • If your dates flex, February (90.3% on-time) beats June (77.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85.2% 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.