New York (LGA) and Chicago (ORD): July 2026 on-time record

The two directions together ran behind the national figure in July 2026, with 58.3% of the 1,994 flights between New York and Chicago arriving on time against a national share of 69.4% across all 630,535 reported flights. That leaves the pair on the weaker side of the national picture.

The market here was contested rather than dominated: no airline reached half of the flights, and the two busiest combined for 74.5%, short of three quarters.

There was no clear winner among airlines. In at least one direction the top two finished within a few points of each other, which one month of data cannot separate, so the order below is not a verdict.

No single cause clearly led the delay minutes BTS attributed to flights between New York and Chicago: Late-arriving aircraft at 38.0% and National Aviation System (NAS) at 34.0% were within 5 points of each other, unlike the national total for July 2026, where Late-arriving aircraft led.

Neither direction stood out: 59.7% of flights from New York and 56.9% of flights from Chicago arrived on time, within a few points of each other, which one month of data cannot separate. Treat the two directions as one record.

3 airlines flew this pair often enough to be ranked in at least one direction. Each is set against the pair's combined figure below, so the comparison is among a small field.

United Airlines carried the largest share of the pair's flights, 880 in all, and 55.8% of them arrived on time, level with the pair's combined 58.3%, give or take a few points.

With at least a quarter of the pair's flights, American Airlines put 61.6% of its 606 on time, level with the pair's combined 58.3%, give or take a few points.

Delta Air Lines operated 494 of the pair's flights; 58.3% were on time, level with the pair's combined 58.3%, give or take a few points.

Also flew this pair, too few flights to rank: Republic Airways (14 flights).

Of the 12 routes out of LGA that carried at least 300 flights in July 2026, the route to ORD placed in the middle third for on-time arrivals.

Of the 36 routes out of ORD that carried at least 300 flights in July 2026, the route to LGA placed in the bottom third for on-time arrivals.

Neither direction had a clear leading cause: for flights out of New York and for flights out of Chicago, the top two causes were within 5 points of each other.

With no single cause clearly in front, extreme weather added 9.4% of the attributed minutes for flights between New York and Chicago, close to its national share of 6.4%.

With the leading causes close together, NAS delays pulled ahead of air carrier delays for flights between New York and Chicago, 34.0% against 18.5%, a different order from the national figures.

Late-arriving aircraft supplied 38.0% of the attributed delay minutes for flights between New York and Chicago, a clear lead but short of a near-majority, with the rest spread over the other causes. Another cause ran within 5 points of it, so the lead is not clear.

The National Aviation System ranked second for flights between New York and Chicago, with 34.0% of the attributed delay minutes.

Delay causes are shares of the delay minutes BTS attributes to flights that arrived 15 minutes or more late, not shares of flights. Extreme weather here means BTS's extreme-weather category only; milder weather delays are generally reported under NAS.

A flight counts as on time unless it arrives 15 minutes or more late. Cancelled and diverted flights count as not on time.

Directions are shown only with at least 500 flights, and an airline is ranked only with at least 100 flights in a direction; airlines below that are listed by name, not ranked.

A difference of a few points between two airlines, or between two directions, is within what one month of data can move. These figures describe July 2026 only.

These are figures for one month, July 2026, not a trend or forecast.

Source: US Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, Reporting Carrier On-Time Performance, July 2026, as loaded by BookWithAI.