PlainFlights

Route · CMI → ORD · 2020–2025 BTS data

Champaign/Urbana to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), CMI to ORD (Champaign/Urbana to Chicago) ranks #2736 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85.1%
On-time
+6.1 pts
vs US avg
87 min
Delay when late
4,377
Flights
#2736 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.7%

Best Month

Feb 2024 95%

Worst Month

May 2024 66%

Distance

135 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 97 31 6 0 MQ
Nov 2025 104 17 11 0 MQ
Oct 2025 103 30 0 0 MQ
Sep 2025 68 11 0 0 MQ
Aug 2025 84 20 3 0 MQ
Jul 2025 69 20 4 0 MQ
Jun 2025 72 18 1 0 MQ
May 2025 89 14 0 0 MQ
Apr 2025 82 18 1 0 MQ
Mar 2025 54 13 0 0 MQ
Feb 2025 52 11 3 0 MQ
Jan 2025 53 6 0 0 MQ
Nov 2024 30 6 0 0 MQ
Oct 2024 57 5 0 0 MQ
Sep 2024 60 16 0 0 MQ
Aug 2024 64 13 0 0 MQ
Jul 2024 62 16 1 0 MQ
Jun 2024 56 14 0 0 MQ
May 2024 62 21 3 0 MQ
Apr 2024 60 7 0 0 MQ
Mar 2024 62 7 0 0 MQ
Feb 2024 58 3 0 0 MQ
Jan 2024 61 14 10 0 MQ
Dec 2023 62 7 0 0 MQ

CMI–ORD seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (89.7%) · weakest: October (81.7%)

80%82%84%86%88%90%92% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 83.3%

Strongest calendar month

April

89.7% on-time · ~70 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

December

~81 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

October

81.7% on-time · ~67 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.7%

43 of 1,621 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

0 of 1,621 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

CMI - Champaign/Urbana

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Champaign/Urbana, IL.

CMI 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 CMI and ORD side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare CMI vs ORD

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among CMI's stronger departures

CMI → ORD posts a 85.1% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 1 of 2 BTS-tracked routes leaving Champaign/Urbana. The same hub also shows 1 mid-band and 0 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #1176 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About CMI to ORD

Champaign/Urbana to Chicago (CMI to ORD) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.1% on-time rate across 4,377 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 86.8 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 135 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 43 of 1,621 flights were cancelled (2.7%) and 0 diverted (0.0%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while May 2024 came in at just 66% - a 29-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, CMI–ORD peaks in April at 89.7% on-time while December carries the heaviest traffic (~81 flights per month) ; the softest month is October at 81.7%, a 8.0-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does CMI to ORD rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, CMI to ORD ranks #2736 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 CMI to ORD? ▼
Flights from Champaign/Urbana to Chicago have a 85.1% on-time rate based on 4,377 flights. The average delay is 86.8 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 95% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for CMI to ORD? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 2.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (43 of 1,621 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from CMI to ORD? ▼
The flight distance from Champaign/Urbana (CMI) to Chicago (ORD) is approximately 135 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from CMI to ORD? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (95% on-time). The worst was May 2024 (66% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

CMI Airport

Champaign/Urbana
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 CMI–ORD data

CMI–ORD runs 6.1 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare CMI and ORD airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. CMI airport
  • If your dates flex, April (89.7% on-time) beats October (81.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85.1% 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.