PlainFlights

Route · RDU → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Raleigh/Durham to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), RDU to MDW (Raleigh/Durham to Chicago) ranks #2108 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

83.9%
On-time
+4.9 pts
vs US avg
62 min
Delay when late
5,918
Flights
#2108 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.1%

Best Month

Nov 2025 94%

Worst Month

Jul 2024 65%

Distance

632 mi

Carriers

3

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 89 16 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 85 5 3 0 WN
Oct 2025 80 18 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 90 10 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 94 17 2 0 WN
Jul 2025 119 31 3 2 WN
Jun 2025 112 20 1 1 WN
May 2025 82 14 0 0 WN
Apr 2025 77 15 0 0 WN
Mar 2025 62 6 2 0 WN
Feb 2025 56 8 0 0 WN
Jan 2025 68 13 0 0 WN
Dec 2024 91 19 0 0 WN
Nov 2024 85 9 0 0 WN
Oct 2024 80 9 0 0 WN
Sep 2024 90 7 0 0 WN,F9
Aug 2024 105 26 0 0 F9,WN
Jul 2024 133 47 0 1 F9,WN
Jun 2024 122 27 1 1 F9,WN
May 2024 94 18 0 1 F9,WN
Apr 2024 86 24 0 1 F9,WN
Mar 2024 79 20 0 0 WN
Feb 2024 79 9 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 86 10 12 1 WN

RDU–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (89.7%) · weakest: July (71.6%)

70%75%80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 84.8%

Strongest calendar month

February

89.7% on-time · ~68 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~100 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

71.6% on-time · ~100 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.1%

24 of 2,144 flights

Diversion Rate

0.4%

8 of 2,144 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

RDU - Raleigh/Durham

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Raleigh/Durham, NC.

RDU 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 RDU and MDW side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.

Compare RDU vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among RDU departures

From RDU, this corridor sits with 25 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 35 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (9 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 1 below 75%). Destination: Chicago · fleet on-time rank #1629 of 4927.

What the Data Says About RDU to MDW

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Raleigh/Durham to Chicago (RDU to MDW) running a 83.9% on-time rate over 5,918 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 62.4 minutes. The 632-mile corridor is served by 3 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.1% of 2,144 flights were cancelled, 0.4% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Nov 2025 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 65% - a 30-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, RDU–MDW peaks in February at 89.7% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~100 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 71.6%, a 18.1-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does RDU to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, RDU to MDW ranks #2108 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 RDU to MDW? ▼
Flights from Raleigh/Durham to Chicago have a 83.9% on-time rate based on 5,918 flights. The average delay is 62.4 minutes. The best recent month was Nov 2025 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for RDU to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.1% of flights on this route were cancelled (24 of 2,144 flights) and 0.4% were diverted.
How far is the flight from RDU to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 632 miles. This route is served by 3 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from RDU to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Nov 2025 (94% on-time). The worst was Jul 2024 (65% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

RDU Airport

Raleigh/Durham
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 RDU–MDW data

RDU–MDW runs 4.9 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare RDU and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. RDU airport
  • If your dates flex, February (89.7% on-time) beats July (71.6%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 83.9% 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.