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Route · DFW → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Dallas/Fort Worth to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), DFW to MDW (Dallas/Fort Worth to Chicago) ranks #4272 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

68.6%
On-time
-10.4 pts
vs US avg
86 min
Delay when late
1,319
Flights
#4272 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

3.0%

Best Month

Mar 2024 79%

Worst Month

Oct 2023 44%

Distance

797 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Nov 2025 32 11 1 1 F9
Oct 2025 33 9 0 0 F9
Jul 2025 31 8 0 0 F9
Mar 2025 31 8 2 0 F9
Nov 2024 49 15 1 0 F9
Oct 2024 50 10 1 0 F9
Sep 2024 43 7 0 0 F9
Aug 2024 47 8 1 0 F9
Jul 2024 42 12 4 0 F9
Jun 2024 48 18 4 0 F9
May 2024 62 25 2 0 F9
Apr 2024 63 17 1 0 F9
Mar 2024 58 12 0 0 F9
Jan 2024 32 6 1 0 F9
Dec 2023 37 12 0 0 F9
Nov 2023 49 17 0 0 F9
Oct 2023 63 35 0 0 F9
Sep 2023 67 22 2 0 F9
Aug 2023 47 17 2 0 F9
Jul 2023 31 19 0 1 F9
Jun 2023 32 18 2 0 F9
May 2023 35 11 2 0 F9
Apr 2023 30 10 4 0 F9
Mar 2023 31 11 1 0 F9

DFW–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: August (76.8%) · weakest: October (62.7%)

60%65%70%75%80% JanMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 64.7%

Strongest calendar month

August

76.8% on-time · ~42 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

April

~47 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

October

62.7% on-time · ~44 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

3.0%

31 of 1,043 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

2 of 1,043 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

DFW - Dallas/Fort Worth

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Dallas/Fort Worth, TX.

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

Compare DFW vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Softer reliability from DFW

Among 183 routes leaving DFW, only 57 (including this one) clear below 75% on-time, while 13 stay ≥85% and 113 sit mid-band. Travelers comparing DFW options should weigh this 68.6% print against those peers · fleet on-time rank #4864 of 4927.

What the Data Says About DFW to MDW

On-time performance on the DFW to MDW pairing (Dallas/Fort Worth to Chicago) trails a chunk of the network: 68.6% of 1,319 tracked flights arrived on schedule, with a 85.5-minute average delay on the ones that ran late. The route spans about 797 miles across 1 carrier. Cancellations over the trailing 24 months hit 3.0% (31 of 1,043 flights), with 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Mar 2024 posted the strongest performance at 79% on-time, while Oct 2023 came in at just 44% - a 35-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, DFW–MDW peaks in August at 76.8% on-time while April carries the heaviest traffic (~47 flights per month) ; the softest month is October at 62.7%, a 14.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does DFW to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, DFW to MDW ranks #4272 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 DFW to MDW? ▼
Flights from Dallas/Fort Worth to Chicago have a 68.6% on-time rate based on 1,319 flights. The average delay is 85.5 minutes. The best recent month was Mar 2024 with 79% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for DFW to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 3.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (31 of 1,043 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from DFW to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 797 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from DFW to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Mar 2024 (79% on-time). The worst was Oct 2023 (44% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

DFW Airport

Dallas/Fort Worth
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 DFW–MDW data

DFW–MDW sits 10.4 pts below the national 79% average; check the seasonal chart and airport profiles before treating the headline as typical.

  • Compare DFW and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. DFW airport
  • If your dates flex, August (76.8% on-time) beats October (62.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 68.6% 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.