PlainFlights

Route · DCA → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DCA to MDW (Washington to Chicago) ranks #1013 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

83.4%
On-time
+4.4 pts
vs US avg
67 min
Delay when late
11,158
Flights
#1013 of 4927
Corpus placement

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

DCA–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: January (88.8%) · weakest: July (72.6%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.5%

Strongest calendar month

January

88.8% on-time · ~158 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~166 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

72.6% on-time · ~166 flights/mo

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.

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

Compare DCA vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among DCA departures

From DCA, this corridor sits with 77 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 91 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (4 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 10 below 75%). Destination: Chicago · fleet on-time rank #1786 of 4927.

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.

On the multi-year calendar, DCA–MDW peaks in January at 88.8% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~166 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 72.6%, a 16.2-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DCA to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DCA to MDW ranks #1013 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 DCA to MDW? ▼
Flights from Washington to Chicago have a 83.4% on-time rate based on 11,158 flights. The average delay is 66.8 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2024 with 91% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (78 of 4,201 flights) and 0.3% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 601 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2024 (91% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (69% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DCA Airport

Washington
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 DCA–MDW data

DCA–MDW runs 4.4 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare DCA and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DCA airport
  • If your dates flex, January (88.8% on-time) beats July (72.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 83.4% 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.