PlainFlights

Route · TUS → ORD · 2020–2025 BTS data

Tucson to Chicago

According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking (BTS On-Time Performance total flights), TUS to ORD (Tucson to Chicago) ranks #2478 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
105 min
Delay when late
5,012
Flights
#2478 of 4927
Corpus placement

Cancelled

1.0%

Best Month

Oct 2024 94%

Worst Month

Sep 2025 68%

Distance

1,437 mi

Carriers

26

Monthly Performance

Recent 24 months of route data.

Period Flights Delayed Cancelled Diverted Carriers
Dec 2025 88 18 1 0 AA,MQ,OO
Nov 2025 90 23 3 1 OO,AA
Oct 2025 68 18 0 1 AA,OO,UA
Sep 2025 60 19 0 0 UA,OO,AA
Aug 2025 67 20 1 2 AA,OO
Jul 2025 92 25 4 0 AA,OO
Jun 2025 90 22 1 0 AA,OO
May 2025 94 9 0 1 AA,OO,UA
Apr 2025 120 12 0 0 OO,UA,AA
Mar 2025 118 14 1 2 AA,OO,UA
Feb 2025 106 13 0 0 AA,OO,MQ
Jan 2025 113 9 1 0 AA,OO
Dec 2024 119 20 1 0 AA,OO,UA
Nov 2024 108 11 2 1 OO,UA,AA
Oct 2024 109 6 0 1 UA,OO,AA
Sep 2024 115 10 0 0 OO,UA,AA
Aug 2024 45 8 0 0 AA,OO,UA
Jul 2024 31 7 0 1 AA
Jun 2024 35 5 1 0 AA
May 2024 83 26 2 2 AA,OO,UA
Apr 2024 105 13 1 0 AA,OO,UA
Mar 2024 106 17 2 0 AA,OO,UA
Feb 2024 79 9 0 0 AA,OO,UA
Jan 2024 75 14 1 0 AA,UA

TUS–ORD seasonal on-time pattern

Best: March (87.6%) · weakest: July (73.2%)

70%75%80%85%90% JanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDec 85.5%

Strongest calendar month

March

87.6% on-time · ~91 flights/mo

Busiest calendar month

March

~91 flights/mo avg

Weakest calendar month

July

73.2% on-time · ~55 flights/mo

Cancellation Rate

1.0%

22 of 2,116 flights

Diversion Rate

0.6%

12 of 2,116 flights

Origin-hub reliability standing

Mid-pack among TUS departures

From TUS, this corridor sits with 7 other 75–85% on-time routes out of 15 tracked departures, not the hub's reliability leaders (8 at ≥85%) and not the softest ( 0 below 75%). Destination: Chicago · fleet on-time rank #1638 of 4927.

What the Data Says About TUS to ORD

Bureau of Transportation Statistics records show Tucson to Chicago (TUS to ORD) running a 83.9% on-time rate over 5,012 tracked flights, on the stronger end of a typical domestic pairing. When flights do run late, the average delay is 105.3 minutes. The 1,437-mile corridor is served by 26 carriers, and over the last 24 months 1.0% of 2,116 flights were cancelled, 0.6% diverted.

The monthly split is wide on this route: Oct 2024 posted the strongest performance at 94% on-time, while Sep 2025 came in at just 68% - a 26-point swing worth factoring into travel timing.

On the multi-year calendar, TUS–ORD peaks in March at 87.6% on-time ; the softest month is July at 73.2%, a 14.4-point swing that repeats because the corridor's weather and holiday mix stays stable year to year.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does TUS to ORD rank among US routes by traffic?
According to PlainFlights' route traffic ranking, TUS to ORD ranks #2478 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 TUS to ORD?
Flights from Tucson to Chicago have a 83.9% on-time rate based on 5,012 flights. The average delay is 105.3 minutes. The best recent month was Oct 2024 with 94% on-time.
What is the cancellation rate for TUS to ORD?
Over the last 24 months, 1.0% of flights on this route were cancelled (22 of 2,116 flights) and 0.6% were diverted.
How far is the flight from TUS to ORD?
The flight distance from Tucson (TUS) to Chicago (ORD) is approximately 1,437 miles. This route is served by 26 carriers.
When is the best time to fly from TUS to ORD?
The best recent month for on-time performance was Oct 2024 (94% on-time). The worst was Sep 2025 (68% on-time). Consider booking during months with historically better performance.

Airports on this route

Data source

Data Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS), On-Time Performance Data. Statistics reflect cumulative performance across all available reporting periods.

Using TUS–ORD data

TUS–ORD 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 TUS and ORD airport profiles: delay causes and top routes differ even on the same corridor. TUS airport
  • If your dates flex, March (87.6% on-time) beats July (73.2%) 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.