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Route · DEC → ORD · 2020–2025 BTS data

Decatur to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DEC to ORD (Decatur to Chicago) ranks #3094 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
138 min
Delay when late
3,543
Flights
#3094 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.1%

Best Month

Oct 2024 92%

Worst Month

Oct 2025 61%

Distance

156 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 55 19 4 1 OO
Nov 2025 50 17 3 0 OO
Oct 2025 54 21 0 0 OO
Sep 2025 51 12 0 0 OO
Aug 2025 53 14 2 0 OO
Jul 2025 53 13 4 0 OO
Jun 2025 52 16 0 0 OO
May 2025 53 10 1 0 OO
Apr 2025 51 8 0 0 OO
Mar 2025 53 13 0 0 OO
Feb 2025 48 13 1 0 OO
Jan 2025 54 14 2 0 OO
Dec 2024 53 16 0 0 OO
Nov 2024 52 9 0 0 OO
Oct 2024 53 4 0 0 OO
Sep 2024 52 12 0 0 OO
Aug 2024 53 17 0 1 OO
Jul 2024 53 14 0 0 OO
Jun 2024 52 12 0 1 OO
May 2024 54 18 2 0 OO
Apr 2024 51 10 0 0 OO
Mar 2024 53 10 0 0 OO
Feb 2024 50 7 0 0 OO
Jan 2024 52 9 7 0 OO

DEC–ORD seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (89.7%) · weakest: June (78.0%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.9%

Strongest calendar month

April

89.7% on-time · ~52 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

January

~53 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

78.0% on-time · ~52 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.1%

26 of 1,255 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

3 of 1,255 flights

What the Data Says About DEC to ORD

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Decatur to Chicago (DEC to ORD) running a 83.4% on-time rate over 3,543 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 137.5 minutes. The 156-mile corridor is served by 1 carrier, and over the last 24 months 2.1% of 1,255 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 92% on-time, while Oct 2025 came in at just 61% - a 31-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DEC–ORD peaks in April at 89.7% on-time while January carries the heaviest traffic (~53 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 78.0%, a 11.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DEC to ORD rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DEC to ORD ranks #3094 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 DEC to ORD?
Flights from Decatur to Chicago have a 83.4% on-time rate based on 3,543 flights. The average delay is 137.5 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 92% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DEC to ORD?
Over the last 24 months, 2.1% of flights on this route were cancelled (26 of 1,255 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DEC to ORD?
The flight distance from Decatur (DEC) to Chicago (ORD) is approximately 156 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from DEC to ORD?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (92% on-time). The worst was Oct 2025 (61% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

Data source

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

Using DEC–ORD data

DEC–ORD 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 DEC and ORD airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DEC airport
  • If your dates flex, April (89.7% on-time) beats June (78.0%) 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.