Route · DCA → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data
Washington to Chicago
The DCA–MDW corridor (Washington, DC → Chicago, IL) runs ahead of the national average, served by 1 carrier across roughly 601 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 83.4%
- On-time
- +4.4 pts
- vs US avg
- 67 min
- Delay when late
- 11,158
- Flights
Cancelled
1.9%
Best Month
Sep 2024 91%
Worst Month
Jul 2025 69%
Distance
601 mi
Carriers
1
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 173 | 39 | 0 | 1 | WN |
| Nov 2025 | 170 | 35 | 13 | 2 | WN |
| Oct 2025 | 181 | 37 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| Sep 2025 | 176 | 21 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| Aug 2025 | 181 | 34 | 3 | 1 | WN |
| Jul 2025 | 181 | 57 | 12 | 3 | WN |
| Jun 2025 | 176 | 54 | 3 | 0 | WN |
| May 2025 | 176 | 37 | 2 | 0 | WN |
| Apr 2025 | 173 | 31 | 2 | 0 | WN |
| Mar 2025 | 180 | 36 | 2 | 0 | WN |
| Feb 2025 | 156 | 41 | 2 | 0 | WN |
| Jan 2025 | 179 | 22 | 14 | 0 | WN |
| Dec 2024 | 172 | 31 | 2 | 0 | WN |
| Nov 2024 | 168 | 22 | 1 | 0 | WN |
| Oct 2024 | 182 | 17 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| Sep 2024 | 176 | 16 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| Aug 2024 | 181 | 31 | 2 | 1 | WN |
| Jul 2024 | 181 | 45 | 3 | 1 | WN |
| Jun 2024 | 174 | 33 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| May 2024 | 178 | 51 | 0 | 1 | WN |
| Apr 2024 | 171 | 32 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| Mar 2024 | 172 | 21 | 0 | 1 | WN |
| Feb 2024 | 166 | 16 | 0 | 0 | WN |
| Jan 2024 | 178 | 25 | 17 | 1 | WN |
Cancellation Rate
1.9%
78 of 4,201 flights
Diversion Rate
0.3%
12 of 4,201 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
DCA - Washington
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Washington, DC.
Origin airport →MDW - Chicago
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See DCA and MDW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Open comparison tool →Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to DCA–MDW.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About DCA to MDW
Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Chicago (DCA to MDW) running a 83.4% on-time rate over 11,158 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 66.8 minutes. The 601-mile corridor is served by 1 carrier, and over the last 24 months 1.9% of 4,201 flights were cancelled, 0.3% diverted.
The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2024 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 69% - a 22-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often are flights delayed from DCA to MDW? ▼
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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.
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.