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Route · SDF → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

Louisville to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SDF to MDW (Louisville to Chicago) ranks #2186 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

87.3%
On-time
+8.3 pts
vs US avg
64 min
Delay when late
5,739
Flights
#2186 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.4%

Best Month

Sep 2025 94%

Worst Month

May 2024 76%

Distance

271 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 78 17 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 78 7 5 0 WN
Oct 2025 87 14 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 86 5 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 90 8 1 0 WN
Jul 2025 104 22 5 0 WN
Jun 2025 102 10 0 0 WN
May 2025 88 9 1 0 WN
Apr 2025 86 12 1 0 WN
Mar 2025 80 14 0 0 WN
Feb 2025 56 7 0 0 WN
Jan 2025 64 11 2 0 WN
Dec 2024 80 6 0 0 WN
Nov 2024 81 9 0 0 WN
Oct 2024 87 6 0 0 WN
Sep 2024 85 9 0 0 WN
Aug 2024 91 9 0 0 WN
Jul 2024 104 19 2 0 WN
Jun 2024 100 12 0 0 WN
May 2024 89 21 1 0 WN
Apr 2024 86 13 0 0 WN
Mar 2024 86 10 0 0 WN
Feb 2024 76 6 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 89 12 10 1 WN

SDF–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: February (92.2%) · weakest: July (81.5%)

80%85%90%95% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 89.4%

Strongest calendar month

February

92.2% on-time · ~64 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~100 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

81.5% on-time · ~100 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.4%

28 of 2,053 flights

Diversion Rate

0.0%

1 of 2,053 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

SDF - Louisville

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Louisville, KY.

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

Compare SDF vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SDF's stronger departures

SDF → MDW posts a 87.3% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 9 of 23 BTS-tracked routes leaving Louisville. The same hub also shows 13 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #578 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SDF to MDW

Louisville to Chicago (SDF to MDW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 87.3% on-time rate across 5,739 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 64.3 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 271 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 28 of 2,053 flights were cancelled (1.4%) and 1 diverted (0.0%).

The monthly split is wide on this route: Sep 2025 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while May 2024 came in at just 76% - a 18-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, SDF–MDW peaks in February at 92.2% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~100 flights per month) ; the softest month is July at 81.5%, a 10.7-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SDF to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SDF to MDW ranks #2186 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 SDF to MDW? ▼
Flights from Louisville to Chicago have a 87.3% on-time rate based on 5,739 flights. The average delay is 64.3 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2025 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SDF to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 1.4% of flights on this route were cancelled (28 of 2,053 flights) and 0.0% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SDF to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from Louisville (SDF) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 271 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from SDF to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2025 (94% on-time). The worst was May 2024 (76% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

SDF Airport

Louisville
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 SDF–MDW data

SDF–MDW runs 8.3 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare SDF and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SDF airport
  • If your dates flex, February (92.2% on-time) beats July (81.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 87.3% 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.