PlainFlights

Route · MDW → IAH · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Houston

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MDW to IAH (Chicago to Houston) ranks #3542 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

76%
On-time
-3 pts
vs US avg
59 min
Delay when late
2,504
Flights
#3542 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.9%

Best Month

Dec 2023 89%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 56%

Distance

917 mi

Carriers

3

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Nov 2024 30 8 0 0 F9
Aug 2024 30 10 0 0 F9,WN
Jul 2024 64 28 3 0 F9,WN
Jun 2024 64 26 0 0 F9,WN
May 2024 94 38 1 1 F9,WN
Apr 2024 85 25 0 0 F9,WN
Mar 2024 66 18 0 1 WN
Feb 2024 46 5 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 56 12 5 1 WN
Dec 2023 85 9 2 0 WN
Nov 2023 81 15 0 0 WN
Oct 2023 69 9 0 0 WN
Sep 2023 52 11 0 0 WN
Aug 2023 56 13 0 0 WN
Jul 2023 52 17 1 0 WN
Jun 2023 52 7 0 0 WN
May 2023 58 7 0 1 WN
Apr 2023 57 13 1 0 WN
Mar 2023 62 24 0 1 WN
Feb 2023 56 6 0 0 WN
Jan 2023 62 15 3 1 WN
Dec 2022 62 19 11 0 WN
Nov 2022 52 15 0 0 WN
Oct 2022 61 14 0 0 WN

MDW–IAH seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (86.4%) · weakest: March (65.6%)

60%65%70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.3%

Strongest calendar month

September

86.4% on-time · ~56 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

December

~70 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

March

65.6% on-time · ~60 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.9%

27 of 1,452 flights

Diversion Rate

0.4%

6 of 1,452 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among MDW departures

From MDW, this corridor sits with 51 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 69 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (0 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 18 below 75%). Destination: Houston · fleet on-time rank #4308 of 4927.

What the Data Says About MDW to IAH

The Chicago to Houston corridor (MDW to IAH) posts a 76% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 2,504 tracked flights. Late flights run 58.7 minutes behind on average. 3 carriers cover the 917-mile route; over the last 24 months, 27 of 1,452 flights were cancelled (1.9%) and 0.4% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Dec 2023 posted the strongest performance at 89% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 56% - a 33-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, MDW–IAH peaks in September at 86.4% on-time while December carries the heaviest traffic (~70 flights per month) ; the softest month is March at 65.6%, a 20.8-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does MDW to IAH rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, MDW to IAH ranks #3542 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 MDW to IAH?
Flights from Chicago to Houston have a 76% on-time rate based on 2,504 flights. The average delay is 58.7 minutes. The best recent month was Dec 2023 with 89% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for MDW to IAH?
Over the last 24 months, 1.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (27 of 1,452 flights) and 0.4% were diverted.
How far is the flight from MDW to IAH?
The flight distance from Chicago (MDW) to Houston (IAH) is approximately 917 miles. This route is served by 3 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from MDW to IAH?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Dec 2023 (89% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (56% 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 MDW–IAH data

MDW–IAH is mid-pack at 76% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare MDW and IAH airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MDW airport
  • If your dates flex, September (86.4% on-time) beats March (65.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 76% 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.