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Route · ORD → TPA · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Tampa

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ORD to TPA (Chicago to Tampa) ranks #430 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

78.2%
On-time
-0.8 pts
vs US avg
69 min
Delay when late
18,022
Flights
#430 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.7%

Best Month

Feb 2024 89%

Worst Month

Dec 2025 66%

Distance

1,012 mi

Carriers

29

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 337 116 5 1 YX,WN,F9,NK,AA,MQ,UA
Nov 2025 280 53 11 0 UA,F9,NK,AA,WN
Oct 2025 236 49 0 0 AA,UA,F9,NK
Sep 2025 205 37 0 0 UA,NK,F9,AA
Aug 2025 225 53 2 2 AA,F9,NK,UA
Jul 2025 229 69 1 0 AA,NK,UA,F9
Jun 2025 254 56 1 4 AA,UA,F9,NK
May 2025 265 50 0 0 AA,NK,UA,F9
Apr 2025 299 51 4 0 F9,NK,UA,AA
Mar 2025 335 71 4 0 AA,UA,NK,F9
Feb 2025 255 50 1 1 AA,UA,F9,NK
Jan 2025 277 57 0 2 AA,UA,F9,NK
Dec 2024 292 62 0 0 AA,F9,NK,UA
Nov 2024 231 31 0 0 UA,NK,AA
Oct 2024 226 28 23 1 UA,NK,AA
Sep 2024 192 24 9 0 UA,AA,NK
Aug 2024 224 69 11 0 AA,NK,UA
Jul 2024 228 68 9 1 AA,NK,UA
Jun 2024 224 67 3 1 AA,NK,UA,WN
May 2024 259 83 4 2 AA,NK,UA,WN
Apr 2024 294 52 4 0 AA,NK,UA,WN
Mar 2024 336 100 2 2 AA,NK,UA,WN
Feb 2024 292 31 0 0 AA,NK,UA,WN
Jan 2024 307 101 10 0 AA,NK,WN,UA

ORD–TPA seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (84.6%) · weakest: July (71.3%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 74.3%

Strongest calendar month

September

84.6% on-time · ~197 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~344 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

71.3% on-time · ~228 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.7%

104 of 6,302 flights

Diversion Rate

0.3%

17 of 6,302 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: Tampa · fleet on-time rank #3789 of 4927.

What the Data Says About ORD to TPA

The Chicago to Tampa corridor (ORD to TPA) posts a 78.2% on-time rate on the lower edge of the average band, based on 18,022 tracked flights. Late flights run 68.9 minutes behind on average. 29 carriers cover the 1,012-mile route; over the last 24 months, 104 of 6,302 flights were cancelled (1.7%) and 0.3% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Feb 2024 posted the strongest performance at 89% on-time, while Dec 2025 came in at just 66% - a 24-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, ORD–TPA peaks in September at 84.6% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~344 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 71.3%, a 13.3-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ORD to TPA rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, ORD to TPA ranks #430 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 TPA?
Flights from Chicago to Tampa have a 78.2% on-time rate based on 18,022 flights. The average delay is 68.9 minutes. The best recent month was Feb 2024 with 89% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for ORD to TPA?
Over the last 24 months, 1.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (104 of 6,302 flights) and 0.3% were diverted.
How far is the flight from ORD to TPA?
The flight distance from Chicago (ORD) to Tampa (TPA) is approximately 1,012 miles. This route is served by 29 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from ORD to TPA?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Feb 2024 (89% on-time). The worst was Dec 2025 (66% 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–TPA data

ORD–TPA is mid-pack at 78.2% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare ORD and TPA airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ORD airport
  • If your dates flex, September (84.6% on-time) beats July (71.3%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 78.2% 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.