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Route · PWM → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Portland to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), PWM to MDW (Portland to Chicago) ranks #4759 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

70.9%
On-time
-8.1 pts
vs US avg
67 min
Delay when late
660
Flights
#4759 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.7%

Best Month

Aug 2022 71%

Worst Month

Jul 2022 54%

Distance

895 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Oct 2025 31 2 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 30 2 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 31 5 0 1 WN
Jul 2025 31 16 3 0 WN
Oct 2024 31 2 0 0 WN
Sep 2024 30 3 0 0 WN
Aug 2024 31 13 0 0 WN
Jul 2024 31 7 0 0 WN
Oct 2023 31 6 0 0 WN
Sep 2023 30 8 0 0 WN
Aug 2023 31 16 0 0 WN
Jul 2023 31 17 0 0 WN
Oct 2022 31 10 0 0 WN
Sep 2022 34 5 0 0 WN
Aug 2022 58 17 3 1 WN
Jul 2022 57 26 0 0 WN
Jun 2022 49 16 2 0 WN
Aug 2021 31 12 2 0 WN
Jul 2021 31 9 1 0 WN

Cancellation Rate

1.7%

11 of 660 flights

Diversion Rate

0.3%

2 of 660 flights

Explore origin & destination

On-time and delay data for the airports this route connects.

PWM - Portland

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Portland, ME.

PWM on-time profile

MDW - Chicago

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.

MDW on-time profile

Compare the two airports

See PWM and MDW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare PWM vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Softer reliability from PWM

Among 12 routes leaving PWM, only 1 (including this one) clear below 75% on-time, while 2 stay ≥85% and 9 sit mid-band. Travelers comparing PWM options should weigh this 70.9% print against those peers · fleet on-time rank #4813 of 4927.

What the Data Says About PWM to MDW

On-time performance on the PWM to MDW pairing (Portland to Chicago) trails a chunk of the network: 70.9% of 660 tracked flights arrived on schedule, with a 67.2-minute average delay on the ones that ran late. The route spans about 895 miles across 1 carrier. Cancellations over the trailing 24 months hit 1.7% (11 of 660 flights), with 0.3% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Aug 2022 posted the strongest performance at 71% on-time, while Jul 2022 came in at just 54% - a 16-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, PWM–MDW peaks in September at 85.5% on-time while June carries the heaviest traffic (~49 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 58.6%, a 26.9-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does PWM to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, PWM to MDW ranks #4759 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 PWM to MDW? ▼
Flights from Portland to Chicago have a 70.9% on-time rate based on 660 flights. The average delay is 67.2 minutes. The best recent month was Aug 2022 with 71% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for PWM to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.7% of flights on this route were cancelled (11 of 660 flights) and 0.3% were diverted.
How far is the flight from PWM to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Portland (PWM) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 895 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from PWM to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Aug 2022 (71% on-time). The worst was Jul 2022 (54% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

PWM Airport

Portland
MDW Airport

Chicago
Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Using PWM–MDW data

PWM–MDW sits 8.1 pts below the national 79% average; check the seasonal chart and airport profiles before treating the headline as typical.

  • Compare PWM and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. PWM airport
  • If your dates flex, September (85.5% on-time) beats July (58.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 70.9% 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.