Best Time to Fly DEN to MDW: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Denver International → Chicago Midway International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 74.7% of Denver (DEN) to Chicago (MDW) flights arrived on time (2,225 scheduled flights). That is 3.0 points below the national average of 77.6%.
Frontier Airlines was the most punctual of the 2 airlines on the route at 76.7%, while Southwest Airlines trailed at 74.6%.
October has been the best month (84% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (71%).
1.6% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
DEN 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier Airlines | 76.7% | 90 min | 1.4% | 74 |
| Southwest Airlines | 74.6% | 55 min | 1.6% | 2,151 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly DEN to MDW
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 5,102 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 93.8% | 1.7% | 348 |
| 6am–7am | 97.9% | 0.8% | 237 |
| 7am–8am | 91.8% | 1.8% | 387 |
| 8am–9am | 93.0% | 1.3% | 394 |
| 9am–10am | 84.6% | 0.8% | 257 |
| 10am–11am | 85.8% | 2.2% | 270 |
| 11am–12pm | 82.4% | 1.3% | 226 |
| 12pm–1pm | 81.9% | 0.4% | 228 |
| 1pm–2pm | 77.5% | 1.5% | 412 |
| 2pm–3pm | 67.1% | 1.4% | 296 |
| 3pm–4pm | 76.5% | 0.4% | 237 |
| 4pm–5pm | 77.6% | 0.9% | 231 |
| 5pm–6pm | 51.0% | 1.1% | 452 |
| 6pm–7pm | 66.2% | 1.0% | 314 |
| 7pm–8pm | 51.4% | 1.5% | 264 |
| 8pm–9pm | 58.4% | 1.2% | 412 |
| 9pm–10pm | 53.4% | 1.5% | 133 |
| 10pm–11pm | Limited data | 4 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on DEN 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) | 80.2% | +1.8 pts | 1.7% | 115 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 78.4% | +0.0 pts | 0.9% | 225 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 65.3% | -13.0 pts | 1.6% | 1,034 |
| All other days | 78.4% | — | 1.1% | 3,728 |
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).