Best Time to Fly RDU to MDW: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Raleigh-Durham International → Chicago Midway International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 78.9% of Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Chicago (MDW) flights arrived on time (961 scheduled flights). That is 1.3 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
November has been the best month (92% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (78%).
2.0% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
RDU 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 | 78.9% | 54 min | 2.0% | 961 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly RDU to MDW
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,988 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 96.5% | 2.1% | 145 |
| 6am–7am | 95.8% | 1.6% | 244 |
| 7am–8am | 91.9% | 0.6% | 173 |
| 8am–9am | 88.4% | 2.0% | 150 |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 10 | |
| 11am–12pm | 89.0% | 1.0% | 102 |
| 12pm–1pm | 82.7% | 0.0% | 105 |
| 1pm–2pm | 75.5% | 0.6% | 156 |
| 2pm–3pm | 82.7% | 0.0% | 98 |
| 3pm–4pm | 67.7% | 0.0% | 98 |
| 4pm–5pm | 92.3% | 0.0% | 39 |
| 5pm–6pm | Limited data | 29 | |
| 6pm–7pm | 74.0% | 1.4% | 281 |
| 7pm–8pm | 56.7% | 1.1% | 183 |
| 8pm–9pm | 68.8% | 2.7% | 148 |
| 9pm–10pm | Limited data | 17 | |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 10 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on RDU 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) | 84.6% | +1.0 pts | 4.9% | 41 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 77.8% | -5.8 pts | 0.0% | 90 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 71.7% | -11.8 pts | 1.4% | 422 |
| All other days | 83.6% | — | 1.2% | 1,435 |
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).