PlainFlights

Route · IAH → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Houston to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), IAH to MDW (Houston to Chicago) ranks #3557 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.2%
On-time
+3.2 pts
vs US avg
76 min
Delay when late
2,473
Flights
#3557 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.7%

Best Month

Feb 2024 96%

Worst Month

May 2024 63%

Distance

917 mi

Carriers

3

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Nov 2024 30 9 0 0 F9
Aug 2024 31 9 0 0 F9,WN
Jul 2024 64 15 2 1 F9,WN
Jun 2024 64 16 0 1 F9,WN
May 2024 84 31 2 0 F9,WN
Apr 2024 79 13 0 0 F9,WN
Mar 2024 68 11 0 0 WN
Feb 2024 54 2 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 64 10 6 0 WN
Dec 2023 85 7 2 2 WN
Nov 2023 81 11 0 0 WN
Oct 2023 69 14 0 0 WN
Sep 2023 52 3 0 0 WN
Aug 2023 56 5 0 0 WN
Jul 2023 52 11 0 0 WN
Jun 2023 52 13 0 0 WN
May 2023 53 10 1 0 WN
Apr 2023 43 12 0 0 WN
Mar 2023 62 12 1 0 WN
Feb 2023 56 5 0 0 WN
Jan 2023 62 12 2 1 WN
Dec 2022 60 14 9 0 WN
Nov 2022 55 8 0 0 WN
Oct 2022 62 6 0 1 WN

IAH–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (90.4%) · weakest: May (75.9%)

75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 85.9%

Strongest calendar month

February

90.4% on-time · ~55 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

December

~68 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

May

75.9% on-time · ~64 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.7%

25 of 1,438 flights

Diversion Rate

0.4%

6 of 1,438 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

IAH - Houston

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Houston, TX.

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

Compare IAH vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among IAH departures

From IAH, this corridor sits with 79 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 102 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (17 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 6 below 75%). Destination: Chicago · fleet on-time rank #2267 of 4927.

What the Data Says About IAH to MDW

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Houston to Chicago (IAH to MDW) running a 82.2% on-time rate over 2,473 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 76.1 minutes. The 917-mile corridor is served by 3 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.7% of 1,438 flights were cancelled, 0.4% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 96% on-time, while May 2024 came in at just 63% - a 33-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, IAH–MDW peaks in February at 90.4% on-time while December carries the heaviest traffic (~68 flights per month) ; the softest month is May at 75.9%, a 14.5-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does IAH to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, IAH to MDW ranks #3557 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 IAH to MDW? ▼
Flights from Houston to Chicago have a 82.2% on-time rate based on 2,473 flights. The average delay is 76.1 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 96% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for IAH to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (25 of 1,438 flights) and 0.4% were diverted.
How far is the flight from IAH to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Houston (IAH) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 917 miles. This route is served by 3 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from IAH to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (96% on-time). The worst was May 2024 (63% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

IAH Airport

Houston
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 IAH–MDW data

IAH–MDW runs 3.2 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare IAH and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. IAH airport
  • If your dates flex, February (90.4% on-time) beats May (75.9%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.2% 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.