PlainFlights

Route · DCA → ORD · 2020–2025 BTS data

Washington to Chicago

The DCA–ORD corridor (Washington, DC → Chicago, IL) runs ahead of the national average, served by 33 carriers across roughly 612 miles.

Data updated 2026-06-13

83.8%
On-time
+4.8 pts
vs US avg
89 min
Delay when late
33,634
Flights

Cancelled

2.1%

Best Month

Feb 2024 91%

Worst Month

Jul 2025 68%

Distance

612 mi

Carriers

33

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 555 141 8 1 YX,AA,MQ,UA,OO
Nov 2025 563 145 29 0 OO,UA,MQ,AA,YX
Oct 2025 597 144 4 0 AA,OO,UA,YX
Sep 2025 577 136 2 0 MQ,UA,AA
Aug 2025 584 130 17 3 AA,UA
Jul 2025 590 191 37 3 AA,UA
Jun 2025 568 158 17 0 AA,OO,UA
May 2025 556 141 5 0 AA,UA
Apr 2025 546 106 7 2 UA,AA
Mar 2025 559 100 8 0 AA,YX,UA
Feb 2025 509 100 17 0 AA,OO,UA,YX
Jan 2025 557 65 34 0 AA,YX,OO,UA
Dec 2024 520 88 0 0 AA,OO,UA,YX
Nov 2024 528 64 0 0 OO,YX,UA,AA
Oct 2024 548 55 0 2 UA,OO,YX,AA
Sep 2024 524 69 0 0 UA,AA
Aug 2024 550 145 17 2 AA,YX,OO,UA
Jul 2024 528 141 20 2 AA,OO,UA,YX
Jun 2024 500 124 7 0 AA,OO,UA
May 2024 500 139 10 2 AA,YX,OO,UA
Apr 2024 460 83 1 0 AA,OO,UA,YX
Mar 2024 499 61 0 0 AA,YX,OO,UA
Feb 2024 491 45 2 0 AA,OO,UA,YX
Jan 2024 510 111 27 1 AA,YX,OO,UA

Cancellation Rate

2.1%

269 of 12,919 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

18 of 12,919 flights

What the Data Says About DCA to ORD

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Washington to Chicago (DCA to ORD) running a 83.8% on-time rate over 33,634 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 89.4 minutes. The 612-mile corridor is served by 33 carriers, and over the last 24 months 2.1% of 12,919 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 68% - a 23-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often are flights delayed from DCA to ORD?
Flights from Washington to Chicago have a 83.8% on-time rate based on 33,634 flights. The average delay is 89.4 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 91% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DCA to ORD?
Over the last 24 months, 2.1% of flights on this route were cancelled (269 of 12,919 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DCA to ORD?
The flight distance from Washington (DCA) to Chicago (ORD) is approximately 612 miles. This route is served by 33 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from DCA to ORD?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (91% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (68% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Explore PlainFlights

Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

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 Editorial

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.