75% of flights from Los Angeles to Chicago arrived on time over the past 12 months. That is worse than the typical U.S. route. The 6 a.m. departures ran on time 90% of the time; the 3 p.m. ones 60%. Most reliable airline: United Airlines (79%). 12% of flights arrived more than an hour late or not at all.
How late?
The on-time rate treats a flight 20 minutes late the same as one 5 hours late. Here's the split for LAX → ORD: when a flight was late, it was under 45 minutes late 51% of the time. About 1 in 11 flights landed an hour or more late, and 1 in 47 three hours or more; 1.4% were cancelled outright.
- On time or early75%
- 15–30 min late8.0%
- 30–60 min late6.0%
- 1–2 hours late4.9%
- 2–3 hours late2.1%
- 3+ hours late2.1%
- Diverted1.0%
- Cancelled1.4%
Share of all 7,119 scheduled flights, past 12 months, by arrival time against schedule.
By airline
| Airline | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | 1h+ late | Avg when late | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 3,414 | 79% | 0.7% | −7 min | 6.6% | +69 min | United Airlines |
| American Airlines | 3,091 | 72% | 1.8% | −6 min | 11.2% | +92 min | American Airlines |
| Frontier Airlines | 244 | 59% | 4.9% | +2 min | 16.8% | +135 min | Frontier Airlines |
| Delta Air Lines | 238 | 68% | 0.0% | −3 min | 10.9% | +66 min | Delta Air Lines |
| Spirit Airlines | 132 | 73% | 6.1% | −10 min | 9.1% | +107 min | Spirit Airlines |
Airline = the name on the ticket. Regional flights (e.g. "Delta Connection") count under the ticketing airline, and the operator is listed.
Best time of day to fly
On-time rate by scheduled departure hour (local time at LAX). Delays build through the day as late planes knock on, so early flights usually do best.
By airline and hour
| Departs | United Airlines | American Airlines | Frontier Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12 a.m. | 81% | 78% | — |
| 6 a.m. | 93% | 89% | — |
| 7 a.m. | 88% | 84% | — |
| 8 a.m. | 82% | 77% | — |
| 9 a.m. | — | 79% | — |
| 10 a.m. | 76% | 62% | — |
| 11 a.m. | — | 64% | — |
| noon | 62% | — | — |
| 1 p.m. | — | 63% | — |
| 2 p.m. | 64% | — | — |
| 3 p.m. | — | 62% | — |
| 4 p.m. | 82% | — | — |
| 5 p.m. | 86% | 59% | — |
| 6 p.m. | 83% | 76% | — |
| 10 p.m. | 85% | 84% | — |
| 11 p.m. | 88% | 70% | 54% |
Last flight of the day
On LAX → ORD, each airline's last flight of the day was cancelled 1.2% of the time, against 1.2% for its earlier flights, about the same. It arrived 3+ hours late 1.3% of the time (earlier flights: 2.2%). It matters more than the numbers suggest. Miss an earlier flight and there's another one that evening; miss the last one and you're usually waiting until morning.
| Airline | Last departure | Last: cancelled | Last: 3h+ late | Earlier: cancelled | Next morning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 10:45 p.m. | 2.2% | 1.9% | 1.7% | first flight 12:41 a.m. |
| United Airlines | 11:30 p.m. | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.8% | first flight 12:13 a.m. |
Last flight = the airline's last scheduled departure on this route that day, on days it flies the route at least twice; past 12 months. Times are typical scheduled times over the latest three months.
By month
Each calendar month pooled over 2023–2026. Best: February (86%). Worst: July (73%).
By day of week
| Day | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 1,075 | 71% | 1.8% |
| Tuesday | 990 | 80% | 0.6% |
| Wednesday | 972 | 78% | 1.2% |
| Thursday | 1,041 | 76% | 1.1% |
| Friday | 1,056 | 74% | 1.7% |
| Saturday | 938 | 74% | 1.5% |
| Sunday | 1,047 | 70% | 1.7% |
Why flights were late
Share of delay minutes on flights 15+ minutes late, as reported to BTS by the airlines.
Cancellations: weather 63 · airline 24 · air traffic/airport 12
Month by month
Flight numbers on this route
Regular flights with at least 120 scheduled trips in the past year. Sorted by departure time.
| Flight | Departs | Flights | On time | Cancelled | Typical arrival | Operated by |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AA 383 | 6:00 a.m. | 207 | 89% | 0.0% | −17 min | American Airlines |
| UA 1941 | 7:00 a.m. | 292 | 87% | 0.7% | −6 min | United Airlines |
| AA 1598 | 8:00 a.m. | 182 | 84% | 0.5% | −14 min | American Airlines |
| UA 1946 | 8:15 a.m. | 364 | 82% | 1.4% | −10 min | United Airlines |
| UA 2113 | 10:45 a.m. | 349 | 77% | 0.9% | −2 min | United Airlines |
| UA 457 | 12:50 p.m. | 156 | 62% | 1.3% | +4 min | United Airlines |
| UA 2487 | 2:15 p.m. | 364 | 64% | 0.8% | +4 min | United Airlines |
| UA 212 | 5:00 p.m. | 308 | 85% | 0.3% | −17 min | United Airlines |
| UA 353 | 10:35 p.m. | 155 | 88% | 0.0% | −16 min | United Airlines |
| AA 1009 | 10:45 p.m. | 130 | 78% | 1.5% | −12 min | American Airlines |
| UA 1962 | 11:30 p.m. | 156 | 88% | 0.0% | −13 min | United Airlines |
| F9 2446 | 11:59 p.m. | 228 | 59% | 4.8% | +1 min | Frontier Airlines |
Worst days in the past year
| Date | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 6, 2026 | 18 | 11% | 1 |
| Nov 30, 2025 | 25 | 12% | 2 |
| Nov 29, 2025 | 22 | 14% | 8 |
| Mar 16, 2026 | 18 | 17% | 2 |
| Nov 10, 2025 | 20 | 20% | 4 |
Nearby airport alternatives
Other ways to make the same trip, using airports within 60 miles of Los Angeles or Chicago. None has been clearly more reliable than LAX → ORD.
| Route | Flights | On time | Cancelled |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAX → ORD (this route) | 7,119 | 75% | 1.4% |
| LAX → MDW Los Angeles LAX to Chicago Midway | 1,283 | 76% | 0.5% |
| SNA → ORD Orange County John Wayne to Chicago O'Hare | 2,164 | 75% | 1.1% |
Questions
How often are flights from LAX to ORD on time?
75% of 7,119 scheduled flights from Los Angeles, CA to Chicago, IL arrived within 15 minutes of schedule between September 2025 and August 2026. 1.4% were cancelled.
What is the best time of day to fly LAX to ORD?
Flights scheduled to leave at 6 a.m. were the most reliable (90% on time). The 3 p.m. departures were the least (60%).
Which airline is most on time from LAX to ORD?
United Airlines: 79% of its 3,414 flights on the route arrived on time. American Airlines: 72%. Frontier Airlines: 59%. Delta Air Lines: 68%. Spirit Airlines: 73%.
What month has the most delays from LAX to ORD?
July (73% on time). The best month is February (86%), over 2023–2026.
Is the last flight of the day from LAX to ORD more likely to be cancelled?
Not much. Each airline's last LAX–ORD flight of the day was cancelled 1.2% of the time over the past year, against 1.2% for its earlier flights. If the last flight is cancelled, the next one is usually the following morning.
Related
- ORD → LAX (return)
- Los Angeles LAX (LAX) delays by hour
- Flights into Chicago O'Hare (ORD)
- United Airlines on-time record
- American Airlines on-time record
- Frontier Airlines on-time record
- Delta Air Lines on-time record
- Spirit Airlines on-time record
- Connecting off this flight? Check the risk
Domestic flights by the airlines that report to the U.S. DOT, plus their regional partners. "On time" means arriving less than 15 minutes after schedule; cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time. Past performance is a guide, not a forecast. Method.