Best Time to Fly JFK to ORD: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
John F. Kennedy International → Chicago O'Hare International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 72.4% of New York (JFK) to Chicago (ORD) flights arrived on time (2,074 scheduled flights). That is 5.2 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Among 4 airlines, Republic Airways led with 77.5% on time and Frontier Airlines was last with 51.4%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (81% on time) and July the worst month (65%).
The cancellation rate was 5.6% (US average 1.8%).
JFK 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Republic Airways | 77.5% | 77 min | 5.5% | 820 |
| American Airlines | 74.0% | 89 min | 5.2% | 521 |
| JetBlue | 68.3% | 87 min | 6.5% | 603 |
| Frontier Airlines | 51.4% | 101 min | 4.3% | 116 |
| Delta Air Lines | Limited data | 14 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly JFK to ORD
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 4,332 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | Limited data | 2 | |
| 6am–7am | 88.3% | 0.0% | 77 |
| 7am–8am | 81.9% | 4.2% | 474 |
| 8am–9am | 89.1% | 2.0% | 394 |
| 9am–10am | 84.5% | 1.7% | 464 |
| 10am–11am | 83.1% | 1.2% | 162 |
| 11am–12pm | 85.0% | 1.8% | 328 |
| 12pm–1pm | 77.9% | 3.9% | 179 |
| 1pm–2pm | 80.2% | 6.4% | 141 |
| 2pm–3pm | 66.3% | 5.6% | 216 |
| 3pm–4pm | 70.2% | 3.4% | 756 |
| 4pm–5pm | 46.1% | 3.7% | 81 |
| 5pm–6pm | 68.1% | 4.1% | 49 |
| 6pm–7pm | 79.2% | 0.0% | 78 |
| 7pm–8pm | 62.4% | 7.4% | 663 |
| 8pm–9pm | 56.9% | 8.3% | 228 |
| 9pm–10pm | 54.3% | 12.5% | 40 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on JFK 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) | 63.1% | -13.9 pts | 3.5% | 87 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 65.5% | -11.5 pts | 2.8% | 180 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 69.3% | -7.7 pts | 11.4% | 755 |
| All other days | 77.0% | — | 2.5% | 3,310 |
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).