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Route · ORD → SNA · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Santa Ana

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ORD to SNA (Chicago to Santa Ana) ranks #949 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

83.2%
On-time
+4.2 pts
vs US avg
60 min
Delay when late
11,655
Flights
#949 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.5%

Best Month

May 2025 91%

Worst Month

May 2024 70%

Distance

1,726 mi

Carriers

2

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 177 41 1 4 AA,UA
Nov 2025 173 32 6 1 UA,AA
Oct 2025 208 59 0 0 AA,UA
Sep 2025 190 43 0 1 UA,AA
Aug 2025 206 47 4 4 AA,UA
Jul 2025 205 50 2 2 AA,UA
Jun 2025 202 44 1 2 AA,UA
May 2025 210 18 1 4 AA,UA
Apr 2025 195 34 1 0 UA,AA
Mar 2025 176 29 0 2 AA,UA
Feb 2025 160 33 0 1 AA,UA
Jan 2025 179 30 0 2 AA,UA
Dec 2024 170 23 0 2 AA,UA
Nov 2024 159 24 0 0 UA,AA
Oct 2024 166 21 0 0 UA,AA
Sep 2024 162 35 0 0 UA,AA
Aug 2024 168 40 0 3 AA,UA
Jul 2024 171 46 1 0 AA,UA
Jun 2024 172 46 0 2 AA,UA
May 2024 210 63 1 3 AA,UA
Apr 2024 204 27 0 1 AA,UA
Mar 2024 197 25 1 3 AA,UA
Feb 2024 164 23 1 1 AA,UA
Jan 2024 176 41 1 2 AA,UA

ORD–SNA seasonal on-time pattern

Best: March (86.5%) · weakest: June (77.8%)

76%78%80%82%84%86%88% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 81.2%

Strongest calendar month

March

86.5% on-time · ~167 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

May

~190 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

77.8% on-time · ~184 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.5%

21 of 4,400 flights

Diversion Rate

0.9%

40 of 4,400 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: Santa Ana · fleet on-time rank #1884 of 4927.

What the Data Says About ORD to SNA

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Chicago to Santa Ana (ORD to SNA) running a 83.2% on-time rate over 11,655 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 59.6 minutes. The 1,726-mile corridor is served by 2 carriers, and over the last 24 months 0.5% of 4,400 flights were cancelled, 0.9% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: May 2025 posted the strongest performance at 91% on-time, while May 2024 came in at just 70% - a 21-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, ORD–SNA peaks in March at 86.5% on-time while May carries the heaviest traffic (~190 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 77.8%, a 8.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ORD to SNA rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, ORD to SNA ranks #949 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 SNA?
Flights from Chicago to Santa Ana have a 83.2% on-time rate based on 11,655 flights. The average delay is 59.6 minutes. The best recent month was May 2025 with 91% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for ORD to SNA?
Over the last 24 months, 0.5% of flights on this route were cancelled (21 of 4,400 flights) and 0.9% were diverted.
How far is the flight from ORD to SNA?
The flight distance from Chicago (ORD) to Santa Ana (SNA) is approximately 1,726 miles. This route is served by 2 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from ORD to SNA?
The best recent month for on-time performance was May 2025 (91% on-time). The worst was May 2024 (70% 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–SNA data

ORD–SNA runs 4.2 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 SNA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ORD airport
  • If your dates flex, March (86.5% on-time) beats June (77.8%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 83.2% 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.