Best Time to Fly SAT to ORD: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
San Antonio International → Chicago O'Hare International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 76.8% of San Antonio (SAT) to Chicago (ORD) flights arrived on time (1,979 scheduled flights). That is 0.8 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Among 5 airlines, United Airlines led with 79.8% on time and SkyWest Airlines was last with 67.3%.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (84% on time) and July the worst month (72%).
The cancellation rate was 2.3% (US average 1.8%).
SAT 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 79.8% | 84 min | 1.4% | 860 |
| Envoy Air | 76.5% | 66 min | 3.1% | 383 |
| Republic Airways | 74.7% | 54 min | 5.0% | 101 |
| American Airlines | 74.5% | 78 min | 2.1% | 519 |
| SkyWest Airlines | 67.3% | 57 min | 5.2% | 116 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SAT to ORD
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 3,631 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 87.1% | 1.2% | 86 |
| 6am–7am | 88.8% | 2.4% | 914 |
| 7am–8am | 89.6% | 0.7% | 410 |
| 8am–9am | Limited data | 18 | |
| 9am–10am | Limited data | 15 | |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 1 | |
| 12pm–1pm | 80.7% | 1.0% | 96 |
| 1pm–2pm | 77.8% | 0.8% | 636 |
| 2pm–3pm | 82.9% | 0.3% | 590 |
| 3pm–4pm | 79.7% | 0.0% | 61 |
| 4pm–5pm | 68.8% | 0.0% | 32 |
| 5pm–6pm | 65.4% | 3.0% | 468 |
| 6pm–7pm | 64.1% | 3.6% | 301 |
| 8pm–9pm | Limited data | 3 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SAT 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) | 69.0% | -13.0 pts | 4.8% | 62 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 80.3% | -1.7 pts | 0.0% | 122 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 73.8% | -8.2 pts | 2.3% | 660 |
| All other days | 82.0% | — | 1.5% | 2,787 |
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).