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Route · OAK → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Oakland to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), OAK to MDW (Oakland to Chicago) ranks #2952 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

86.1%
On-time
+7.1 pts
vs US avg
54 min
Delay when late
3,876
Flights
#2952 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.5%

Best Month

Oct 2024 90%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 66%

Distance

1,844 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 33 5 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 33 8 0 2 WN
Oct 2025 35 1 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 34 3 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 36 5 0 1 WN
Jul 2025 35 2 0 1 WN
Jun 2025 33 4 0 0 WN
May 2025 31 0 0 0 WN
Apr 2025 31 1 0 1 WN
Mar 2025 35 4 1 0 WN
Jan 2025 32 5 0 0 WN
Dec 2024 34 3 0 0 WN
Nov 2024 33 2 0 1 WN
Oct 2024 58 6 0 0 WN
Sep 2024 60 15 0 0 WN
Aug 2024 65 13 0 0 WN
Jul 2024 89 30 0 1 WN
Jun 2024 81 23 0 0 WN
May 2024 54 7 0 0 WN
Apr 2024 53 8 0 0 WN
Mar 2024 54 10 0 0 WN
Feb 2024 37 3 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 46 9 4 1 WN
Dec 2023 62 15 1 0 WN

OAK–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (94.6%) · weakest: June (76.6%)

75%80%85%90%95%100% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 85.1%

Strongest calendar month

February

94.6% on-time · ~45 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~68 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

76.6% on-time · ~61 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.5%

6 of 1,094 flights

Diversion Rate

0.7%

8 of 1,094 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

OAK - Oakland

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Oakland, CA.

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

Compare OAK vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among OAK's stronger departures

OAK → MDW posts a 86.1% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 10 of 31 BTS-tracked routes leaving Oakland. The same hub also shows 21 mid-band and 0 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #881 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About OAK to MDW

Oakland to Chicago (OAK to MDW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 86.1% on-time rate across 3,876 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 54.0 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 1,844 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 6 of 1,094 flights were cancelled (0.5%) and 8 diverted (0.7%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 66% - a 23-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, OAK–MDW peaks in February at 94.6% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~68 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 76.6%, a 18.0-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does OAK to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, OAK to MDW ranks #2952 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 OAK to MDW? ▼
Flights from Oakland to Chicago have a 86.1% on-time rate based on 3,876 flights. The average delay is 54.0 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for OAK to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.5% of flights on this route were cancelled (6 of 1,094 flights) and 0.7% were diverted.
How far is the flight from OAK to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Oakland (OAK) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 1,844 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from OAK to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (90% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (66% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

OAK Airport

Oakland
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 OAK–MDW data

OAK–MDW runs 7.1 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare OAK and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. OAK airport
  • If your dates flex, February (94.6% on-time) beats June (76.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 86.1% 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.