PlainFlights

Route · ORD → FAI · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Fairbanks

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ORD to FAI (Chicago to Fairbanks) ranks #4918 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

76.3%
On-time
-2.7 pts
vs US avg
68 min
Delay when late
510
Flights
#4918 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.6%

Best Month

Jul 2021 85%

Worst Month

Aug 2021 69%

Distance

2,785 mi

Carriers

2

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Aug 2025 31 7 1 0 UA
Jul 2025 31 15 0 0 UA
Jun 2025 30 3 0 0 UA
Aug 2024 31 6 0 0 UA
Jul 2024 31 7 0 0 UA
Jun 2024 30 8 0 0 UA
May 2024 30 10 0 0 UA
Aug 2023 31 4 0 0 UA
Jul 2023 31 10 0 0 UA
Aug 2022 31 2 0 0 UA
Jul 2022 31 7 0 0 UA
Aug 2021 62 19 2 0 UA,AA
Jul 2021 62 9 0 1 UA,AA
Jun 2021 48 14 0 0 UA,AA

Cancellation Rate

0.6%

3 of 510 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

1 of 510 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

FAI - Fairbanks

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Fairbanks, AK.

FAI on-time profile

Compare the two airports

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

Compare ORD vs FAI

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: Fairbanks · fleet on-time rank #4252 of 4927.

What the Data Says About ORD to FAI

The Chicago to Fairbanks corridor (ORD to FAI) posts a 76.3% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 510 tracked flights. Late flights run 68.2 minutes behind on average. 2 carriers cover the 2,785-mile route; over the last 24 months, 3 of 510 flights were cancelled (0.6%) and 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Jul 2021 posted the strongest performance at 85% on-time, while Aug 2021 came in at just 69% - a 16-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, ORD–FAI peaks in August at 79.6% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~37 flights per month) ; the softest month is May at 66.7%, a 12.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ORD to FAI rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, ORD to FAI ranks #4918 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 FAI? ▼
Flights from Chicago to Fairbanks have a 76.3% on-time rate based on 510 flights. The average delay is 68.2 minutes. The best recent month was Jul 2021 with 85% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for ORD to FAI? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.6% of flights on this route were cancelled (3 of 510 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from ORD to FAI? ▼
The flight distance from Chicago (ORD) to Fairbanks (FAI) is approximately 2,785 miles. This route is served by 2 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from ORD to FAI? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Jul 2021 (85% on-time). The worst was Aug 2021 (69% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

ORD Airport

Chicago
FAI Airport

Fairbanks
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–FAI data

ORD–FAI is mid-pack at 76.3% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare ORD and FAI airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ORD airport
  • If your dates flex, August (79.6% on-time) beats May (66.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 76.3% 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.