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Route · FAI → ORD · 2020–2025 BTS data

Fairbanks to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), FAI to ORD (Fairbanks to Chicago) ranks #4916 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

84.3%
On-time
+5.3 pts
vs US avg
85 min
Delay when late
510
Flights
#4916 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.4%

Best Month

Jul 2021 90%

Worst Month

Aug 2021 79%

Distance

2,785 mi

Carriers

2

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Aug 2025 31 2 1 0 UA
Jul 2025 31 5 0 0 UA
Jun 2025 30 4 0 0 UA
Aug 2024 31 4 0 0 UA
Jul 2024 31 5 0 0 UA
Jun 2024 30 9 1 0 UA
May 2024 30 5 0 1 UA
Aug 2023 31 3 1 0 UA
Jul 2023 31 8 0 0 UA
Aug 2022 31 2 0 0 UA
Jul 2022 31 6 0 0 UA
Aug 2021 62 13 2 0 UA,AA
Jul 2021 62 6 2 0 UA,AA
Jun 2021 48 8 0 0 UA,AA

Cancellation Rate

1.4%

7 of 510 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

1 of 510 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

FAI - Fairbanks

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Fairbanks, AK.

FAI on-time profile

ORD - Chicago

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.

ORD on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See FAI and ORD side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare FAI vs ORD

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among FAI departures

From FAI, this corridor sits with 2 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 3 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (1 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Chicago · fleet on-time rank #1468 of 4927.

What the Data Says About FAI to ORD

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Fairbanks to Chicago (FAI to ORD) running a 84.3% on-time rate over 510 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 85.1 minutes. The 2,785-mile corridor is served by 2 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.4% of 510 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.

Monthly performance varies moderately here: Jul 2021 was the strongest month at 90% on-time versus Aug 2021 at 79%, a 11-point difference.

On the multi-year calendar, FAI–ORD peaks in August at 87.1% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~37 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 80.6%, a 6.5-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does FAI to ORD rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, FAI to ORD ranks #4916 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 FAI to ORD? ▼
Flights from Fairbanks to Chicago have a 84.3% on-time rate based on 510 flights. The average delay is 85.1 minutes. The best recent month was Jul 2021 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for FAI to ORD? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (7 of 510 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from FAI to ORD? ▼
The flight distance from Fairbanks (FAI) to Chicago (ORD) is approximately 2,785 miles. This route is served by 2 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from FAI to ORD? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Jul 2021 (90% on-time). The worst was Aug 2021 (79% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

FAI Airport

Fairbanks
ORD 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 FAI–ORD data

FAI–ORD runs 5.3 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare FAI and ORD airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. FAI airport
  • If your dates flex, August (87.1% on-time) beats June (80.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 84.3% 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.