Best Time to Fly DEN to ORD: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Denver International → Chicago O'Hare International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
6,131 flights were scheduled from Denver (DEN) to Chicago (ORD) in the last 12 months, and 72.1% of those that flew arrived on time, 5.5 points below the US average of 77.6%.
Among 5 airlines, Envoy Air led with 74.0% on time and Frontier Airlines was last with 67.2%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (76% on time) and July the worst month (62%).
The cancellation rate was 1.1% (US average 1.8%).
DEN to ORD on-time performance by airline
Last 12 months. Airlines with fewer than 30 completed flights are marked “limited data”.
| Airline | On time | Avg delay when late | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Envoy Air | 74.0% | 60 min | 0.8% | 125 |
| American Airlines | 73.8% | 122 min | 1.9% | 1,474 |
| United Airlines | 72.3% | 79 min | 0.8% | 3,815 |
| Southwest Airlines | 67.5% | 57 min | 0.5% | 389 |
| Frontier Airlines | 67.2% | 86 min | 2.1% | 328 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DEN to ORD
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 12,496 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 91.7% | 0.0% | 36 |
| 6am–7am | 89.4% | 0.7% | 940 |
| 7am–8am | 88.2% | 0.7% | 1,456 |
| 8am–9am | 90.1% | 1.1% | 266 |
| 9am–10am | 79.7% | 0.9% | 1,059 |
| 10am–11am | 76.3% | 0.0% | 490 |
| 11am–12pm | 77.4% | 0.2% | 832 |
| 12pm–1pm | 79.2% | 0.9% | 679 |
| 1pm–2pm | 72.5% | 0.9% | 1,148 |
| 2pm–3pm | 64.0% | 1.0% | 611 |
| 3pm–4pm | 64.7% | 0.3% | 586 |
| 4pm–5pm | 60.7% | 0.6% | 912 |
| 5pm–6pm | 56.8% | 2.1% | 1,094 |
| 6pm–7pm | 56.1% | 0.5% | 223 |
| 7pm–8pm | 66.5% | 1.0% | 1,075 |
| 8pm–9pm | 70.5% | 0.7% | 898 |
| 9pm–10pm | 68.9% | 2.2% | 181 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 6 | |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 4 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DEN to ORD
On-time arrivals during holiday periods compared with all other days, last 24 months.
| Period | On time | vs other days | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thanksgiving week (Tue before to Mon after) | 68.4% | -7.5 pts | 3.1% | 222 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 79.7% | +3.8 pts | 1.1% | 474 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 62.3% | -13.6 pts | 1.8% | 2,293 |
| All other days | 75.9% | — | 0.6% | 9,507 |
Monthly on-time trend
On-time arrival % each month, with the 12-month US average for reference.
What causes delays on this route
Share of reported delay minutes, last 12 months (BTS cause categories).