PlainFlights

Route · ORD → PHL · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Philadelphia

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ORD to PHL (Chicago to Philadelphia) ranks #240 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

77.8%
On-time
-1.2 pts
vs US avg
90 min
Delay when late
23,837
Flights
#240 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.5%

Best Month

Feb 2024 85%

Worst Month

Jul 2025 58%

Distance

678 mi

Carriers

30

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 344 120 5 0 F9,AA,UA
Nov 2025 410 106 19 1 UA,F9,AA
Oct 2025 443 103 0 0 AA,UA,F9
Sep 2025 412 101 0 0 UA,F9,AA
Aug 2025 438 120 13 1 AA,F9,UA
Jul 2025 404 171 21 1 AA,UA,F9
Jun 2025 392 138 9 3 AA,UA,F9
May 2025 414 128 5 0 AA,UA,F9
Apr 2025 356 58 5 0 UA,AA
Mar 2025 351 88 3 1 AA,UA,YX
Feb 2025 286 66 7 1 AA,UA
Jan 2025 305 47 1 0 AA,UA,F9,NK
Dec 2024 328 79 1 0 AA,F9,UA
Nov 2024 358 68 0 0 UA,YX,F9,AA
Oct 2024 407 73 2 2 UA,F9,AA
Sep 2024 422 107 2 0 UA,AA,F9
Aug 2024 455 186 14 4 AA,F9,UA
Jul 2024 452 169 7 1 AA,F9,UA
Jun 2024 433 141 13 2 AA,F9,UA
May 2024 427 165 4 0 AA,F9,UA
Apr 2024 363 90 0 0 AA,OO,UA
Mar 2024 305 74 0 0 AA,UA,YX
Feb 2024 280 41 0 0 AA,UA,YX
Jan 2024 297 105 8 1 AA,YX,UA

ORD–PHL seasonal on-time pattern

Best: April (84.1%) · weakest: July (68.5%)

65%70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 78.3%

Strongest calendar month

April

84.1% on-time · ~301 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

August

~396 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

68.5% on-time · ~375 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.5%

139 of 9,082 flights

Diversion Rate

0.2%

18 of 9,082 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: Philadelphia · fleet on-time rank #3904 of 4927.

What the Data Says About ORD to PHL

The Chicago to Philadelphia corridor (ORD to PHL) posts a 77.8% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 23,837 tracked flights. Late flights run 89.9 minutes behind on average. 30 carriers cover the 678-mile route; over the last 24 months, 139 of 9,082 flights were cancelled (1.5%) and 0.2% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 85% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 58% - a 28-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, ORD–PHL peaks in April at 84.1% on-time while August carries the heaviest traffic (~396 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 68.5%, a 15.6-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ORD to PHL rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, ORD to PHL ranks #240 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 PHL?
Flights from Chicago to Philadelphia have a 77.8% on-time rate based on 23,837 flights. The average delay is 89.9 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 85% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for ORD to PHL?
Over the last 24 months, 1.5% of flights on this route were cancelled (139 of 9,082 flights) and 0.2% were diverted.
How far is the flight from ORD to PHL?
The flight distance from Chicago (ORD) to Philadelphia (PHL) is approximately 678 miles. This route is served by 30 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from ORD to PHL?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (85% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (58% 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–PHL data

ORD–PHL is mid-pack at 77.8% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare ORD and PHL airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ORD airport
  • If your dates flex, April (84.1% on-time) beats July (68.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 77.8% 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.