PlainFlights

Route · ORD → MKE · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Milwaukee

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ORD to MKE (Chicago to Milwaukee) ranks #797 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

74.5%
On-time
-4.5 pts
vs US avg
82 min
Delay when late
13,040
Flights
#797 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

2.3%

Best Month

Feb 2024 84%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 55%

Distance

67 mi

Carriers

15

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 405 182 17 0 YX,OH,MQ,OO
Nov 2025 464 120 52 0 OO,YX
Oct 2025 463 149 0 0 OO,YX
Sep 2025 394 104 4 0 OO
Aug 2025 399 120 22 1 OO
Jul 2025 394 157 15 2 OO,YX,MQ
Jun 2025 382 147 3 0 OO,YX
May 2025 361 85 3 2 OO
Apr 2025 368 71 4 0 MQ,OO,YX
Mar 2025 243 84 3 0 OO
Feb 2025 196 64 3 0 OO,YX
Jan 2025 217 62 3 0 OO,YX
Dec 2024 234 85 0 0 OO,YX
Nov 2024 260 68 2 0 OO,YX
Oct 2024 251 49 0 0 OO,YX
Sep 2024 240 55 0 0 OO
Aug 2024 228 78 1 1 YX,OO
Jul 2024 233 76 6 1 OO,UA
Jun 2024 178 54 2 1 OO
May 2024 206 71 5 0 YX,OO
Apr 2024 208 43 0 0 MQ,OO
Mar 2024 203 34 1 0 MQ,OO
Feb 2024 167 27 0 0 MQ,OO
Jan 2024 155 50 12 0 OO

ORD–MKE seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (83.7%) · weakest: December (68.0%)

65%70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 68%

Strongest calendar month

April

83.7% on-time · ~173 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

October

~213 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

December

68.0% on-time · ~194 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

2.3%

158 of 6,849 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

8 of 6,849 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Softer reliability from ORD

Among 168 routes leaving ORD, only 11 (including this one) clear below 75% on-time, while 10 stay ≥85% and 147 sit mid-band. Travelers comparing ORD options should weigh this 74.5% print against those peers · fleet on-time rank #4554 of 4927.

What the Data Says About ORD to MKE

On-time performance on the ORD to MKE pairing (Chicago to Milwaukee) trails a chunk of the network: 74.5% of 13,040 tracked flights arrived on schedule, with a 81.9-minute average delay on the ones that ran late. The route spans about 67 miles across 15 carriers. Cancellations over the trailing 24 months hit 2.3% (158 of 6,849 flights), with 0.1% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 84% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 55% - a 29-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, ORD–MKE peaks in April at 83.7% on-time while October carries the heaviest traffic (~213 flights per month) ; the softest month is December at 68.0%, a 15.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ORD to MKE rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, ORD to MKE ranks #797 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 MKE?
Flights from Chicago to Milwaukee have a 74.5% on-time rate based on 13,040 flights. The average delay is 81.9 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 84% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for ORD to MKE?
Over the last 24 months, 2.3% of flights on this route were cancelled (158 of 6,849 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from ORD to MKE?
The flight distance from Chicago (ORD) to Milwaukee (MKE) is approximately 67 miles. This route is served by 15 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from ORD to MKE?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (84% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (55% 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 ORD–MKE data

ORD–MKE sits 4.5 pts below the national 79% average; check the seasonal chart and airport profiles before treating the headline as typical.

  • Compare ORD and MKE airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ORD airport
  • If your dates flex, April (83.7% on-time) beats December (68.0%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 74.5% 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.