PlainFlights

Route · ORD → TUS · 2020–2025 BTS data

Chicago to Tucson

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), ORD to TUS (Chicago to Tucson) ranks #2476 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

78.9%
On-time
-0.1 pts
vs US avg
68 min
Delay when late
5,014
Flights
#2476 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.8%

Best Month

Oct 2024 90%

Worst Month

Jul 2025 59%

Distance

1,437 mi

Carriers

26

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 90 31 0 0 AA,MQ,OO
Nov 2025 90 16 3 0 OO,AA
Oct 2025 68 22 0 0 AA,OO,UA
Sep 2025 60 9 0 0 UA,OO,AA
Aug 2025 66 12 1 0 AA,OO
Jul 2025 92 38 4 0 AA,OO
Jun 2025 90 24 1 0 AA,OO
May 2025 93 19 0 0 AA,OO,UA
Apr 2025 119 29 0 0 OO,UA,AA
Mar 2025 117 17 0 1 AA,OO,UA
Feb 2025 107 35 1 0 AA,OO,MQ
Jan 2025 114 22 0 0 AA,OO
Dec 2024 119 21 1 1 AA,OO,UA
Nov 2024 109 26 0 0 OO,UA,AA
Oct 2024 109 11 0 1 UA,OO,AA
Sep 2024 117 23 0 0 OO,UA,AA
Aug 2024 44 9 0 0 AA,UA
Jul 2024 31 1 0 0 AA
Jun 2024 34 7 1 0 AA
May 2024 83 32 2 0 AA,OO,UA
Apr 2024 105 33 1 0 AA,OO,UA
Mar 2024 106 28 0 0 AA,OO,UA
Feb 2024 79 14 0 0 AA,OO,UA
Jan 2024 75 25 2 0 AA,UA

ORD–TUS seasonal on-time pattern

Best: September (83.7%) · weakest: July (71.1%)

70%75%80%85% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 79.9%

Strongest calendar month

September

83.7% on-time · ~64 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~91 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

71.1% on-time · ~55 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.8%

17 of 2,117 flights

Diversion Rate

0.1%

3 of 2,117 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: Tucson · fleet on-time rank #3556 of 4927.

What the Data Says About ORD to TUS

5,014 tracked flights put the ORD to TUS pairing (Chicago to Tucson) at a 78.9% on-time rate, squarely in line with the wider network. Delays that do occur run 68.1 minutes on average. Across the 1,437-mile route and its 26 carriers, the trailing 24 months show 0.8% cancelled and 0.1% diverted (2,117 flights sampled).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 90% on-time, while Jul 2025 came in at just 59% - a 31-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, ORD–TUS peaks in September at 83.7% on-time while March carries the heaviest traffic (~91 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 71.1%, a 12.6-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does ORD to TUS rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, ORD to TUS ranks #2476 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 TUS?
Flights from Chicago to Tucson have a 78.9% on-time rate based on 5,014 flights. The average delay is 68.1 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 90% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for ORD to TUS?
Over the last 24 months, 0.8% of flights on this route were cancelled (17 of 2,117 flights) and 0.1% were diverted.
How far is the flight from ORD to TUS?
The flight distance from Chicago (ORD) to Tucson (TUS) is approximately 1,437 miles. This route is served by 26 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from ORD to TUS?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (90% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (59% 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–TUS data

ORD–TUS is mid-pack at 78.9% on-time; month and carrier mix move more than the corridor headline.

  • Compare ORD and TUS airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. ORD airport
  • If your dates flex, September (83.7% on-time) beats July (71.1%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 78.9% 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.