Best Time to Fly SDF to MDW: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Louisville Muhammad Ali International → Chicago Midway International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 85.0% of Louisville (SDF) to Chicago (MDW) flights arrived on time (977 scheduled flights). That is 7.4 points above the national average of 77.6%.
Southwest Airlines was the only reporting airline with regular flights on this route.
Over 24 months, Tuesday was the most reliable day (90% on time) and March the worst month (80%).
The cancellation rate was 1.7% (US average 1.8%).
SDF 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southwest Airlines | 85.0% | 60 min | 1.7% | 977 |
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly SDF to MDW
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 1,981 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 6am–7am | 92.6% | 1.6% | 372 |
| 7am–8am | 92.9% | 0.6% | 156 |
| 8am–9am | 91.4% | 0.5% | 189 |
| 9am–10am | Limited data | 8 | |
| 10am–11am | Limited data | 28 | |
| 11am–12pm | 83.8% | 2.6% | 38 |
| 12pm–1pm | 85.4% | 2.4% | 42 |
| 1pm–2pm | 90.2% | 0.5% | 205 |
| 2pm–3pm | 87.4% | 0.0% | 120 |
| 3pm–4pm | 75.6% | 1.1% | 91 |
| 4pm–5pm | 87.7% | 1.5% | 66 |
| 5pm–6pm | 83.3% | 0.0% | 30 |
| 6pm–7pm | 87.7% | 0.0% | 155 |
| 7pm–8pm | 79.7% | 2.7% | 224 |
| 8pm–9pm | 72.0% | 3.3% | 215 |
| 9pm–10pm | 85.7% | 0.0% | 42 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on SDF 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) | Limited data | 27 | ||
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 84.8% | -2.7 pts | 0.0% | 66 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 81.9% | -5.7 pts | 2.3% | 391 |
| All other days | 87.5% | — | 1.1% | 1,497 |
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).