Best Time to Fly EWR to ORD: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Newark Liberty International → Chicago O'Hare International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 71.7% of Newark (EWR) to Chicago (ORD) flights arrived on time (6,066 scheduled flights). That is 5.9 points below the national average of 77.6%.
American Airlines was the most punctual of the 5 airlines on the route at 78.0%, while Spirit Airlines trailed at 51.6%.
September has been the best month (80% on time) and Friday the weakest day of the week (67%).
3.6% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
EWR 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines | 78.0% | 118 min | 4.7% | 831 |
| Envoy Air | 73.3% | 91 min | 5.5% | 595 |
| United Airlines | 71.4% | 78 min | 2.5% | 4,389 |
| Republic Airways | 52.8% | 82 min | 11.8% | 102 |
| Spirit Airlines | 51.6% | 102 min | 16.8% | 149 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly EWR to ORD
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 12,334 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 88.6% | 2.9% | 244 |
| 6am–7am | 87.5% | 1.7% | 1,036 |
| 7am–8am | 85.3% | 2.4% | 1,360 |
| 8am–9am | 83.8% | 0.7% | 431 |
| 9am–10am | 82.2% | 1.6% | 701 |
| 10am–11am | 79.8% | 0.7% | 1,109 |
| 11am–12pm | 76.8% | 2.0% | 976 |
| 12pm–1pm | 79.2% | 1.5% | 341 |
| 1pm–2pm | 75.4% | 2.8% | 828 |
| 2pm–3pm | 69.7% | 3.6% | 759 |
| 3pm–4pm | 69.8% | 1.7% | 661 |
| 4pm–5pm | 46.9% | 3.6% | 505 |
| 5pm–6pm | 50.2% | 5.4% | 755 |
| 6pm–7pm | 46.8% | 2.6% | 758 |
| 7pm–8pm | 58.2% | 6.4% | 738 |
| 8pm–9pm | 69.3% | 2.8% | 248 |
| 9pm–10pm | 65.4% | 3.4% | 759 |
| 10pm–11pm | 60.5% | 11.3% | 97 |
| 11pm–12am | Limited data | 28 | |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on EWR 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) | 60.3% | -13.6 pts | 4.5% | 243 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 69.3% | -4.6 pts | 1.3% | 466 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 65.3% | -8.6 pts | 5.3% | 2,062 |
| All other days | 73.9% | — | 2.2% | 9,563 |
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).