Route · SFO → ORD · 2020–2025 BTS data
San Francisco to Chicago
The SFO–ORD corridor (San Francisco, CA → Chicago, IL) runs ahead of the national average, served by 8 carriers across roughly 1,846 miles.
Data updated 2026-06-13
- 83.8%
- On-time
- +4.8 pts
- vs US avg
- 75 min
- Delay when late
- 26,450
- Flights
Cancelled
1.3%
Best Month
Apr 2025 87%
Worst Month
Jul 2024 69%
Distance
1,846 mi
Carriers
8
Monthly Performance
Recent 24 months of route data.
| Period | Flights | Delayed | Cancelled | Diverted | Carriers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 2025 | 391 | 76 | 3 | 1 | AA,UA |
| Nov 2025 | 411 | 88 | 10 | 0 | UA,AA |
| Oct 2025 | 524 | 97 | 2 | 0 | AA,UA |
| Sep 2025 | 486 | 77 | 0 | 1 | UA,AA |
| Aug 2025 | 523 | 121 | 14 | 4 | AA,UA,AS |
| Jul 2025 | 534 | 148 | 16 | 4 | AA,AS,UA |
| Jun 2025 | 511 | 129 | 8 | 2 | AA,AS,UA |
| May 2025 | 492 | 96 | 5 | 1 | AA,AS,UA |
| Apr 2025 | 448 | 57 | 1 | 1 | UA,AA,AS |
| Mar 2025 | 395 | 72 | 0 | 2 | AA,AS,UA |
| Feb 2025 | 298 | 43 | 2 | 1 | AA,AS,UA |
| Jan 2025 | 339 | 51 | 1 | 0 | AA,AS,UA |
| Dec 2024 | 399 | 71 | 2 | 0 | AA,AS,UA |
| Nov 2024 | 388 | 82 | 2 | 0 | UA,AS,AA |
| Oct 2024 | 449 | 69 | 1 | 0 | UA,AS,AA |
| Sep 2024 | 452 | 66 | 1 | 1 | UA,AA,AS |
| Aug 2024 | 501 | 108 | 1 | 1 | AA,AS,UA |
| Jul 2024 | 505 | 157 | 13 | 4 | AA,AS,UA |
| Jun 2024 | 465 | 100 | 5 | 2 | AA,AS,UA |
| May 2024 | 464 | 110 | 12 | 5 | AA,AS,UA |
| Apr 2024 | 420 | 81 | 3 | 1 | AA,AS,UA |
| Mar 2024 | 353 | 91 | 5 | 0 | AA,AS,UA |
| Feb 2024 | 277 | 44 | 1 | 1 | AA,AS,UA |
| Jan 2024 | 296 | 49 | 23 | 0 | AA,AS,UA |
Cancellation Rate
1.3%
131 of 10,321 flights
Diversion Rate
0.3%
32 of 10,321 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.
Origin airport →ORD - Chicago
Full on-time, delay-cause, and seasonal performance for Chicago, IL.
Destination airport →Compare the two airports
See SFO and ORD side by side on delays, cancellations, and reliability.
Open comparison tool →Similar routes
Other BTS-tracked routes with comparable performance or trip length to SFO–ORD.
Routes with a similar on-time rate
What the Data Says About SFO to ORD
Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show San Francisco to Chicago (SFO to ORD) running a 83.8% on-time rate over 26,450 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 74.8 minutes. The 1,846-mile corridor is served by 8 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.3% of 10,321 flights were cancelled, 0.3% diverted.
The monthly split is wide on this route: Apr 2025 posted the strongest performance at 87% on-time, while Jul 2024 came in at just 69% - a 18-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often are flights delayed from SFO to ORD? ▼
What is the cancellation rate for SFO to ORD? ▼
How far is the flight from SFO to ORD? ▼
When is the best time to fly from SFO to ORD? ▼
Flight Guides
Tips and data-driven advice for choosing reliable routes.
Explore PlainFlights
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.
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.