Best Time to Fly MDW to BUF: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Chicago Midway International → Buffalo Niagara International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 73.9% of Chicago (MDW) to Buffalo (BUF) flights arrived on time (824 scheduled flights). That is 3.8 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (81% on time) and March the worst month (67%).
The cancellation rate was 1.5% (US average 1.8%).
MDW to BUF 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 73.9% | 53 min | 1.5% | 824 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly MDW to BUF
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,567 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7am–8am | 91.7% | 0.0% | 145 |
| 8am–9am | 93.1% | 1.4% | 73 |
| 9am–10am | 85.5% | 1.7% | 119 |
| 10am–11am | 96.2% | 1.9% | 54 |
| 11am–12pm | 71.0% | 0.0% | 31 |
| 12pm–1pm | 86.5% | 0.9% | 218 |
| 1pm–2pm | 79.1% | 0.0% | 187 |
| 2pm–3pm | 64.6% | 0.0% | 48 |
| 3pm–4pm | Limited data | 18 | |
| 4pm–5pm | 78.6% | 2.3% | 43 |
| 5pm–6pm | 65.6% | 0.0% | 64 |
| 6pm–7pm | 66.8% | 1.3% | 235 |
| 7pm–8pm | 62.3% | 3.4% | 118 |
| 8pm–9pm | 63.5% | 1.0% | 97 |
| 9pm–10pm | 66.2% | 1.4% | 69 |
| 10pm–11pm | 44.7% | 2.1% | 48 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on MDW to BUF
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) | Limited data | 26 | ||
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 75.9% | -3.1 pts | 1.7% | 59 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 68.3% | -10.6 pts | 1.1% | 373 |
| All other days | 78.9% | — | 1.0% | 1,109 |
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).