PlainFlights

Route · ORD → ORF · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Norfolk

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ORD to ORF (Chicago to Norfolk) ranks #1570 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

80.4%
On-time
+1.4 pts
vs US avg
70 min
Delay when late
7,897
Flights
#1570 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.0%

Best Month

Nov 2024 87%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 55%

Distance

717 mi

Carriers

27

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 157 71 3 0 YX,OH,MQ,UA,OO
Nov 2025 144 42 3 0 OO,UA,MQ,OH,YX
Oct 2025 170 33 0 0 UA,YX,MQ
Sep 2025 143 27 0 0 MQ,UA,YX
Aug 2025 126 27 4 0 YX,MQ,UA
Jul 2025 152 52 3 1 UA,YX,MQ
Jun 2025 142 36 0 0 UA,YX,MQ
May 2025 96 16 1 0 UA,YX,MQ
Apr 2025 105 26 1 0 MQ,UA,YX
Mar 2025 93 24 0 0 UA,YX,MQ
Feb 2025 84 16 2 0 OO,UA,YX,MQ
Jan 2025 98 23 3 0 YX,OO,UA,MQ
Dec 2024 106 24 0 0 MQ,OO,UA,YX
Nov 2024 90 12 0 0 UA,MQ,YX,OO
Oct 2024 99 16 0 0 UA,MQ,YX
Sep 2024 134 26 0 0 YX,OO,UA,MQ
Aug 2024 105 38 1 0 MQ,YX,UA
Jul 2024 96 29 3 0 MQ,UA
Jun 2024 95 25 0 1 MQ,UA
May 2024 94 39 1 1 MQ,YX,UA
Apr 2024 91 18 0 0 MQ,UA,YX
Mar 2024 93 23 0 0 UA,YX
Feb 2024 83 15 0 1 UA,YX
Jan 2024 86 25 2 0 YX,UA

ORD–ORF seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (86.0%) · weakest: July (75.1%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 75.3%

Strongest calendar month

April

86.0% on-time · ~98 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~138 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

75.1% on-time · ~138 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.0%

27 of 2,682 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

4 of 2,682 flights

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: Norfolk · fleet on-time rank #2991 of 4927.

What the Data Says About ORD to ORF

7,897 tracked flights put the ORD to ORF pairing (Chicago to Norfolk) at a 80.4% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 69.5 minutes on average. Across the 717-mile route and its 27 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 1.0% cancelled and 0.1% diverted (2,682 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Nov 2024 posted the strongest performance at 87% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 55% - a 32-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, ORD–ORF peaks in April at 86.0% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~138 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 75.1%, a 10.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ORD to ORF rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, ORD to ORF ranks #1570 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 ORF?
Flights from Chicago to Norfolk have a 80.4% on-time rate based on 7,897 flights. The average delay is 69.5 minutes. The best recent month was Nov 2024 with 87% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for ORD to ORF?
Over the last 24 months, 1.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (27 of 2,682 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from ORD to ORF?
The flight distance from Chicago (ORD) to Norfolk (ORF) is approximately 717 miles. This route is served by 27 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from ORD to ORF?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Nov 2024 (87% 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–ORF data

ORD–ORF is mid-pack at 80.4% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare ORD and ORF airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ORD airport
  • If your dates flex, April (86.0% on-time) beats July (75.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 80.4% 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.