PlainFlights

Route · SJC → MDW · 2020–2025 BTS data

San Jose to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), SJC to MDW (San Jose to Chicago) ranks #3530 of 4927 tracked domestic routes by total flights (most flights = #1).

Data updated 2026-06-13

85.4%
On-time
+6.4 pts
vs US avg
49 min
Delay when late
2,517
Flights
#3530 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

0.1%

Best Month

Sep 2024 91%

Worst Month

Jul 2025 76%

Distance

1,838 mi

Carriers

1

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 31 1 0 0 WN
Nov 2025 30 2 0 1 WN
Oct 2025 32 2 0 0 WN
Sep 2025 52 7 0 0 WN
Aug 2025 55 11 0 1 WN
Jul 2025 80 19 1 1 WN
Jun 2025 72 13 0 1 WN
May 2025 39 11 0 0 WN
Apr 2025 38 4 0 0 WN
Mar 2025 31 1 0 0 WN
Jan 2025 31 2 0 0 WN
Dec 2024 31 4 0 0 WN
Nov 2024 31 2 0 1 WN
Oct 2024 45 4 0 0 WN
Sep 2024 56 5 0 0 WN
Aug 2024 59 6 0 0 WN
Jul 2024 80 9 0 2 WN
Jun 2024 73 12 0 0 WN
May 2024 54 7 0 1 WN
Apr 2024 46 5 0 0 WN
Mar 2024 31 2 0 0 WN
Jan 2024 31 5 0 0 WN
Dec 2023 31 7 0 0 WN
Nov 2023 32 5 0 0 WN

SJC–MDW seasonal on-time pattern

Best: March (94.8%) · weakest: June (76.5%)

75%80%85%90%95%100% JanMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 86.5%

Strongest calendar month

March

94.8% on-time · ~31 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

July

~62 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

June

76.5% on-time · ~55 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

0.1%

1 of 1,091 flights

Diversion Rate

0.7%

8 of 1,091 flights

Explore origin & destination

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

SJC - San Jose

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

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

Compare SJC vs MDW

Origin-hub reliability standing

Among SJC's stronger departures

SJC → MDW posts a 85.4% on-time rate, landing in the ≥85% band with 21 of 31 BTS-tracked routes leaving San Jose. The same hub also shows 9 mid-band and 1 challenged departures · fleet-wide on-time rank #1101 of 4927 (highest on-time = #1).

What the Data Says About SJC to MDW

San Jose to Chicago (SJC to MDW) is one of the more dependable pairings in the BTS On-Time Performance dataset: a 85.4% on-time rate across 2,517 flights, with delays that do happen averaging 48.5 minutes. The corridor runs roughly 1,838 miles and is served by 1 carrier. Over the most recent 24 months, 1 of 1,091 flights were cancelled (0.1%) and 8 diverted (0.7%).

Monthly performance varies moderately here: Sep 2024 was the strongest month at 91% on-time versus Jul 2025 at 76%, a 15-point difference.

On the multi-year calendar, SJC–MDW peaks in March at 94.8% on-time while July carries the heaviest traffic (~62 flights per month) ; the softest month is June at 76.5%, a 18.3-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does SJC to MDW rank among US routes by traffic? ▼
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, SJC to MDW ranks #3530 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 SJC to MDW? ▼
Flights from San Jose to Chicago have a 85.4% on-time rate based on 2,517 flights. The average delay is 48.5 minutes. The best recent month was Sep 2024 with 91% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for SJC to MDW? ▼
Over the last 24 months, 0.1% of flights on this route were cancelled (1 of 1,091 flights) and 0.7% were diverted.
How far is the flight from SJC to MDW? ▼
The flight distance from San Jose (SJC) to Chicago (MDW) is approximately 1,838 miles. This route is served by 1 carrier.
When is the best time to fly from SJC to MDW? ▼
The best recent month for on-time performance was Sep 2024 (91% on-time). The worst was Jul 2025 (76% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

SJC Airport

San Jose
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 SJC–MDW data

SJC–MDW runs 6.4 pts above the national 79% average; the remaining risk is month-to-month swing and carrier mix, not a weak headline rate.

  • Compare SJC and MDW airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. SJC airport
  • If your dates flex, March (94.8% on-time) beats June (76.5%) on this corridor. Seasonal chart
  • 4 other routes post a similar 85.4% 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.