PlainFlights

Route · ORD → DEC · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Decatur

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ORD to DEC (Chicago to Decatur) ranks #3066 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

82.6%
On-time
+3.6 pts
vs US avg
86 min
Delay when late
3,614
Flights
#3066 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.9%

Best Month

May 2025 96%

Worst Month

Aug 2024 51%

Distance

156 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 55 20 3 1 OO
Nov 2025 50 14 3 0 OO
Oct 2025 54 7 0 0 OO
Sep 2025 51 7 0 0 OO
Aug 2025 53 13 1 0 OO
Jul 2025 53 14 1 0 OO
Jun 2025 52 11 0 0 OO
May 2025 53 2 0 0 OO
Apr 2025 51 6 1 0 OO
Mar 2025 53 13 0 0 OO
Feb 2025 48 16 1 0 OO
Jan 2025 54 15 1 1 OO
Dec 2024 53 14 0 0 OO
Nov 2024 52 14 0 0 OO
Oct 2024 53 5 0 0 OO
Sep 2024 52 14 0 0 OO
Aug 2024 53 26 0 0 OO
Jul 2024 53 16 0 0 OO
Jun 2024 51 15 0 0 OO
May 2024 54 17 5 1 OO
Apr 2024 51 12 0 0 OO
Mar 2024 53 7 0 0 OO
Feb 2024 50 4 0 0 OO
Jan 2024 52 9 8 1 OO

ORD–DEC seasonal on-time pattern

Best: October (89.0%) · weakest: July (74.9%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 80.6%

Strongest calendar month

October

89.0% on-time · ~53 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

January

~53 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

74.9% on-time · ~53 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.9%

24 of 1,254 flights

Diversion Rate

0.3%

4 of 1,254 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

ORD - Chicago

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.

ORD on-time profile

DEC - Decatur

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Decatur, IL.

DEC on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See ORD and DEC side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare ORD vs DEC

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among ORD departures

From ORD, this corridor sits with 147 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 168 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (10 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 11 below 75%). Destination: Decatur · fleet on-time rank #2114 of 4927.

What the Data Says About ORD to DEC

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Chicago to Decatur (ORD to DEC) running a 82.6% on-time rate over 3,614 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 85.6 minutes. The 156-mile corridor is served by 1 carrier, and over the last 24 months 1.9% of 1,254 flights were cancelled, 0.3% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: May 2025 posted the strongest performance at 96% on-time, while Aug 2024 came in at just 51% - a 45-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, ORD–DEC peaks in October at 89.0% on-time while January carries the heaviest traffic (~53 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 74.9%, a 14.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ORD to DEC rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, ORD to DEC ranks #3066 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 ORD to DEC? ▼
Flights from Chicago to Decatur have a 82.6% on-time rate based on 3,614 flights. The average delay is 85.6 minutes. The best recent month was May 2025 with 96% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for ORD to DEC? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.9% of flights on this route were cancelled (24 of 1,254 flights) and 0.3% were diverted.
How far is the flight from ORD to DEC? ▼
The flight distance from Chicago (ORD) to Decatur (DEC) is approximately 156 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from ORD to DEC? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was May 2025 (96% on-time). The worst was Aug 2024 (51% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

ORD Airport

Chicago
DEC Airport

Decatur
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 ORD–DEC data

ORD–DEC runs 3.6 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare ORD and DEC airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ORD airport
  • If your dates flex, October (89.0% on-time) beats July (74.9%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 82.6% 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.