Route · MSP → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data
Minneapolis to Chicago
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), MSP to MDW (Minneapolis to Chicago) ranks #558 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 84.8%
- On-time
- +5.8 pts
- vs US avg
- 64 min
- Delay when late
- 16,184
- Flights
- #558 of 4927
- Corpus placement
Cancelled
1.1%
Best Month
Oct 2024 94%
Worst Month
Dec 2025 63%
Distance
349 mi
Carriers
12
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 215 | 80 | 2 | 0 | WN,OO |
| Nov 2025 | 214 | 25 | 16 | 1 | OO,WN |
| Oct 2025 | 246 | 25 | 0 | 0 | OO,WN |
| Sep 2025 | 232 | 40 | 1 | 0 | WN,OO |
| Aug 2025 | 238 | 56 | 2 | 0 | OO,WN |
| Jul 2025 | 249 | 60 | 3 | 3 | OO,WN |
| Jun 2025 | 243 | 44 | 0 | 0 | OO,WN |
| May 2025 | 238 | 30 | 2 | 0 | OO,WN |
| Apr 2025 | 229 | 23 | 1 | 0 | OO,WN |
| Mar 2025 | 228 | 36 | 1 | 1 | OO,WN |
| Feb 2025 | 190 | 30 | 2 | 0 | OO,WN |
| Jan 2025 | 212 | 34 | 1 | 0 | OO,WN |
| Dec 2024 | 229 | 48 | 2 | 0 | OO,WN |
| Nov 2024 | 218 | 26 | 2 | 1 | OO,WN |
| Oct 2024 | 237 | 14 | 0 | 0 | OO,WN |
| Sep 2024 | 247 | 24 | 0 | 0 | WN,OO |
| Aug 2024 | 256 | 42 | 0 | 1 | WN,OO |
| Jul 2024 | 260 | 69 | 1 | 1 | OO,WN |
| Jun 2024 | 251 | 91 | 1 | 0 | OO,WN |
| May 2024 | 248 | 58 | 0 | 1 | OO,WN |
| Apr 2024 | 241 | 28 | 0 | 0 | OO,WN |
| Mar 2024 | 243 | 33 | 2 | 0 | OO,WN |
| Feb 2024 | 198 | 24 | 0 | 0 | OO,WN |
| Jan 2024 | 227 | 36 | 21 | 1 | WN,OO |
MSP–MDW seasonal on-time pattern
Best: October (90.0%) · weakest: June (77.9%)
Strongest calendar month
October
90.0% on-time · ~231 flights/mo
Busiest calendar month
July
~249 flights/mo avg
Weakest calendar month
June
77.9% on-time · ~237 flights/mo
Cancellation Rate
1.1%
60 of 5,589 flights
Diversion Rate
0.2%
10 of 5,589 flights
Explore origin & destination
On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.
MSP - Minneapolis
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Minneapolis, MN.
MSP on-time profileMDW - Chicago
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.
MDW on-time profileCompare the two airports
See MSP and MDW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Compare MSP vs MDWOrigin-hub reliability standing
Mid-pack among MSP departures
From MSP, this corridor sits with 57 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 99 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (42 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Chicago · fleet on-time rank #1303 of 4927.
Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to MSP–MDW.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About MSP to MDW
Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Minneapolis to Chicago (MSP to MDW) running a 84.8% on-time rate over 16,184 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 63.7 minutes. The 349-mile corridor is served by 12 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.1% of 5,589 flights were cancelled, 0.2% diverted.
The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 63% - a 31-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
On the multi-year calendar, MSP–MDW peaks in October at 90.0% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~249 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 77.9%, a 12.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does MSP to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
How often are flights delayed from MSP to MDW? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for MSP to MDW? ▼
How far is the flight from MSP to MDW? ▼
When is the best time to fly from MSP to MDW? ▼
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.
Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.
Using MSP–MDW data
MSP–MDW runs 5.8 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.
- Compare MSP and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. MSP airport
- If your dates flex, October (90.0% on-time) beats June (77.9%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
- 4 other routes post a similar 84.8% 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.
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.