Best Time to Fly MSP to MDW: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Minneapolis-St Paul International → Chicago Midway International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 78.3% of Minneapolis (MSP) to Chicago (MDW) flights arrived on time (2,396 scheduled flights). That is 0.7 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 79.4%, while SkyWest Airlines trailed at 76.3%.
October has been the best month (92% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (79%).
1.7% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
MSP to MDW 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 | 79.4% | 52 min | 1.8% | 1,593 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 76.3% | 68 min | 1.5% | 803 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly MSP to MDW
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 5,172 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 95.0% | 1.1% | 461 |
| 6am–7am | 90.8% | 3.5% | 170 |
| 7am–8am | 85.1% | 0.5% | 749 |
| 8am–9am | 93.2% | 0.0% | 148 |
| 9am–10am | 83.3% | 0.4% | 229 |
| 10am–11am | 86.7% | 2.3% | 386 |
| 11am–12pm | 82.4% | 0.8% | 586 |
| 12pm–1pm | 79.0% | 0.7% | 290 |
| 1pm–2pm | 79.4% | 0.5% | 216 |
| 2pm–3pm | 79.7% | 0.5% | 184 |
| 3pm–4pm | 75.0% | 0.9% | 325 |
| 4pm–5pm | 77.0% | 1.1% | 710 |
| 5pm–6pm | 71.3% | 0.7% | 292 |
| 6pm–7pm | 75.4% | 1.3% | 231 |
| 7pm–8pm | 75.9% | 2.7% | 149 |
| 8pm–9pm | 68.9% | 0.0% | 45 |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 1 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on MSP to MDW
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) | 70.8% | -13.0 pts | 5.3% | 95 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 75.3% | -8.5 pts | 1.6% | 189 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 76.0% | -7.8 pts | 0.9% | 848 |
| All other days | 83.8% | — | 0.9% | 4,040 |
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).