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Route · SFO → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

San Francisco to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SFO to MDW (San Francisco to Chicago) ranks #4196 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85.5%
On-time
+6.5 pts
vs US avg
60 min
Delay when late
1,440
Flights
#4196 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.3%

Best Month

Jul 2024 81%

Worst Month

Jun 2024 68%

Distance

1,855 mi

Carriers

3

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 31 5 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 30 4 0 1 WN
Oct 2025 31 3 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 30 10 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 31 7 0 1 WN
Jul 2025 31 5 1 1 WN
Jun 2025 30 3 0 0 WN
May 2025 31 10 0 0 WN
Apr 2025 30 8 0 0 WN
Dec 2024 31 3 0 0 WN
Nov 2024 30 3 0 0 WN
Oct 2024 43 9 0 0 WN
Sep 2024 43 5 0 0 WN
Aug 2024 52 14 0 0 F9,WN
Jul 2024 72 14 0 0 F9,WN
Jun 2024 63 20 0 0 F9,WN
Dec 2023 31 12 0 1 F9
Nov 2023 30 4 0 0 F9
Oct 2023 32 3 0 0 F9,WN
Sep 2023 34 10 0 0 F9,WN
Aug 2023 35 14 1 0 F9,WN
Jul 2023 34 8 0 0 F9,WN
Jun 2023 30 13 1 0 F9
Dec 2021 31 1 0 0 WN

SFO–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: March (98.5%) · weakest: June (70.7%)

60%70%80%90%100% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 83.1%

Strongest calendar month

March

98.5% on-time · ~34 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

January

~53 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

70.7% on-time · ~41 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.3%

3 of 866 flights

Diversion Rate

0.5%

4 of 866 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

SFO - San Francisco

Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for San Francisco, CA.

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

Compare SFO vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SFO's stronger departures

SFO → MDW posts a 85.5% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 20 of 73 BTS-tracked routes leaving San Francisco. The same hub also shows 50 mid-band and 3 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #1072 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SFO to MDW

San Francisco to Chicago (SFO to MDW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.5% on-time rate across 1,440 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 60.2 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 1,855 miles and is served by 3 carriers. Over the most recent 24 months, 3 of 866 flights were cancelled (0.3%) and 4 diverted (0.5%).

Monthly performance varies moderately here: Jul 2024 was the strongest month at 81% on-time versus Jun 2024 at 68%, a 12-point difference.

On the multi-year calendar, SFO–MDW peaks in March at 98.5% on-time while January carries the heaviest traffic (~53 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 70.7%, a 27.8-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SFO to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SFO to MDW ranks #4196 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 SFO to MDW? ▼
Flights from San Francisco to Chicago have a 85.5% on-time rate based on 1,440 flights. The average delay is 60.2 minutes. The best recent month was Jul 2024 with 81% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SFO to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.3% of flights on this route were cancelled (3 of 866 flights) and 0.5% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SFO to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from San Francisco (SFO) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 1,855 miles. This route is served by 3 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from SFO to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Jul 2024 (81% on-time). The worst was Jun 2024 (68% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

SFO Airport

San Francisco
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 SFO–MDW data

SFO–MDW runs 6.5 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare SFO and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SFO airport
  • If your dates flex, March (98.5% on-time) beats June (70.7%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85.5% 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.