Route · DSM → ORD · 2020–2025 BTS data
Des Moines to Chicago
The DSM–ORD corridor (Des Moines, IA → Chicago, IL) runs ahead of the national average, served by 36 carriers across roughly 299 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 82.9%
- On-time
- +3.9 pts
- vs US avg
- 88 min
- Delay when late
- 12,641
- Flights
Cancelled
2.3%
Best Month
Mar 2024 95%
Worst Month
Dec 2025 63%
Distance
299 mi
Carriers
36
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 270 | 101 | 12 | 0 | YX,OH,MQ,UA,OO |
| Nov 2025 | 271 | 49 | 29 | 0 | OO,UA,MQ,AA,YX |
| Oct 2025 | 296 | 88 | 2 | 0 | AA,OO,UA,YX |
| Sep 2025 | 265 | 48 | 1 | 0 | MQ,UA,OO,YX,AA |
| Aug 2025 | 294 | 80 | 11 | 0 | AA,OO,YX,MQ,UA |
| Jul 2025 | 294 | 98 | 17 | 0 | AA,OO,UA,YX |
| Jun 2025 | 281 | 83 | 2 | 2 | AA,OO,UA,YX,MQ |
| May 2025 | 269 | 55 | 1 | 0 | AA,OO,UA,YX,MQ |
| Apr 2025 | 228 | 31 | 2 | 0 | MQ,OO,UA,YX |
| Mar 2025 | 202 | 47 | 6 | 0 | YX,OO,UA,MQ |
| Feb 2025 | 131 | 18 | 1 | 1 | OO,UA,YX,MQ |
| Jan 2025 | 157 | 25 | 0 | 0 | YX,OO,UA,MQ |
| Dec 2024 | 132 | 30 | 1 | 0 | MQ,OO,UA,YX |
| Nov 2024 | 164 | 21 | 0 | 0 | OO,YX,UA,MQ,AA |
| Oct 2024 | 200 | 24 | 0 | 0 | UA,MQ,OO,YX,AA |
| Sep 2024 | 197 | 23 | 1 | 0 | YX,OO,UA,AA,MQ |
| Aug 2024 | 201 | 53 | 1 | 0 | AA,MQ,YX,OO,UA |
| Jul 2024 | 155 | 38 | 7 | 0 | MQ,OO,UA,YX |
| Jun 2024 | 140 | 39 | 0 | 0 | AA,MQ,OO,UA |
| May 2024 | 142 | 36 | 3 | 0 | AA,MQ,YX,OO,UA |
| Apr 2024 | 174 | 20 | 0 | 0 | AA,MQ,OO,UA,YX |
| Mar 2024 | 144 | 7 | 0 | 0 | AA,MQ,YX,OO,UA |
| Feb 2024 | 139 | 12 | 0 | 0 | AA,MQ,OO,UA,YX |
| Jan 2024 | 155 | 43 | 16 | 0 | MQ,YX,OO,UA |
Cancellation Rate
2.3%
113 of 4,901 flights
Diversion Rate
0.1%
3 of 4,901 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
DSM - Des Moines
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Des Moines, IA.
Origin airport →ORD - Chicago
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See DSM and ORD side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Open comparison tool →Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to DSM–ORD.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About DSM to ORD
Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Des Moines to Chicago (DSM to ORD) running a 82.9% on-time rate over 12,641 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 87.9 minutes. The 299-mile corridor is served by 36 carriers, and over the last 24 months 2.3% of 4,901 flights were cancelled, 0.1% diverted.
The monthly split is wide on this route: Mar 2024 posted the strongest performance at 95% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 63% - a 33-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often are flights delayed from DSM to ORD? ▼
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Flight Guides
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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.