PlainFlights

Route · MDW → SDF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Louisville

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MDW to SDF (Chicago to Louisville) ranks #2156 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

79.3%
On-time
+0.3 pts
vs US avg
58 min
Delay when late
5,803
Flights
#2156 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.0%

Best Month

Feb 2024 94%

Worst Month

Jul 2025 63%

Distance

271 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 78 21 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 78 8 4 0 WN
Oct 2025 89 14 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 86 11 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 89 16 0 0 WN
Jul 2025 104 38 3 0 WN
Jun 2025 102 29 0 0 WN
May 2025 89 14 0 0 WN
Apr 2025 85 16 0 0 WN
Mar 2025 80 16 1 0 WN
Feb 2025 56 12 0 0 WN
Jan 2025 65 13 2 0 WN
Dec 2024 80 19 0 0 WN
Nov 2024 81 7 0 0 WN
Oct 2024 88 8 0 0 WN
Sep 2024 85 18 0 0 WN
Aug 2024 91 15 0 0 WN
Jul 2024 104 34 2 0 WN
Jun 2024 100 30 0 0 WN
May 2024 90 18 0 0 WN
Apr 2024 86 14 0 0 WN
Mar 2024 87 19 0 0 WN
Feb 2024 79 5 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 86 19 8 0 WN

MDW–SDF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: November (88.2%) · weakest: July (67.8%)

65%70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 77.8%

Strongest calendar month

November

88.2% on-time · ~79 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~100 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

67.8% on-time · ~100 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.0%

20 of 2,058 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

0 of 2,058 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: Louisville · fleet on-time rank #3415 of 4927.

What the Data Says About MDW to SDF

5,803 tracked flights put the MDW to SDF pairing (Chicago to Louisville) at a 79.3% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 57.8 minutes on average. Across the 271-mile route and its 1 carrier, the trailing 24 months show 1.0% cancelled and 0.0% diverted (2,058 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 63% - a 30-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, MDW–SDF peaks in November at 88.2% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~100 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 67.8%, a 20.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does MDW to SDF rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, MDW to SDF ranks #2156 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 SDF?
Flights from Chicago to Louisville have a 79.3% on-time rate based on 5,803 flights. The average delay is 57.8 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for MDW to SDF?
Over the last 24 months, 1.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (20 of 2,058 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from MDW to SDF?
The flight distance from Chicago (MDW) to Louisville (SDF) is approximately 271 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from MDW to SDF?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (63% 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–SDF data

MDW–SDF is mid-pack at 79.3% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare MDW and SDF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MDW airport
  • If your dates flex, November (88.2% on-time) beats July (67.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 79.3% 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.