PlainFlights

Route · MDW → LAX · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Los Angeles

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MDW to LAX (Chicago to Los Angeles) ranks #1550 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

75.9%
On-time
-3.1 pts
vs US avg
57 min
Delay when late
7,950
Flights
#1550 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.7%

Best Month

Apr 2025 90%

Worst Month

Jun 2024 59%

Distance

1,750 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 115 40 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 106 23 5 1 WN
Oct 2025 119 33 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 116 28 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 121 30 0 0 WN
Jul 2025 146 47 1 0 WN
Jun 2025 137 42 1 0 WN
May 2025 114 21 0 1 WN
Apr 2025 110 11 1 0 WN
Mar 2025 104 14 0 1 WN
Feb 2025 76 16 1 0 WN
Jan 2025 96 10 0 0 WN
Dec 2024 106 25 1 0 WN
Nov 2024 104 20 0 0 WN
Oct 2024 119 16 0 1 WN
Sep 2024 118 26 0 3 WN
Aug 2024 125 27 0 0 WN
Jul 2024 146 49 1 1 WN
Jun 2024 135 55 0 5 WN
May 2024 117 47 1 3 WN
Apr 2024 113 31 0 1 WN
Mar 2024 108 31 0 0 WN
Feb 2024 83 18 0 1 WN
Jan 2024 99 21 8 0 WN

MDW–LAX seasonal on-time pattern

Best: January (83.0%) · weakest: June (64.4%)

60%65%70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 73.1%

Strongest calendar month

January

83.0% on-time · ~103 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~133 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

64.4% on-time · ~125 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.7%

20 of 2,733 flights

Diversion Rate

0.7%

18 of 2,733 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: Los Angeles · fleet on-time rank #4328 of 4927.

What the Data Says About MDW to LAX

The Chicago to Los Angeles corridor (MDW to LAX) posts a 75.9% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 7,950 tracked flights. Late flights run 56.5 minutes behind on average. 1 carrier cover the 1,750-mile route; over the last 24 months, 20 of 2,733 flights were cancelled (0.7%) and 0.7% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Apr 2025 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while Jun 2024 came in at just 59% - a 31-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, MDW–LAX peaks in January at 83.0% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~133 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 64.4%, a 18.6-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does MDW to LAX rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, MDW to LAX ranks #1550 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 LAX?
Flights from Chicago to Los Angeles have a 75.9% on-time rate based on 7,950 flights. The average delay is 56.5 minutes. The best recent month was Apr 2025 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for MDW to LAX?
Over the last 24 months, 0.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (20 of 2,733 flights) and 0.7% were diverted.
How far is the flight from MDW to LAX?
The flight distance from Chicago (MDW) to Los Angeles (LAX) is approximately 1,750 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from MDW to LAX?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Apr 2025 (90% on-time). The worst was Jun 2024 (59% 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–LAX data

MDW–LAX is mid-pack at 75.9% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare MDW and LAX airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MDW airport
  • If your dates flex, January (83.0% on-time) beats June (64.4%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 75.9% 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.