Best Time to Fly TPA to ORD: On-Time Stats by Hour & Airline
Tampa International → Chicago O'Hare International
Data through July 2026 · Last updated October 18, 2026
Over the last 12 months, 73.6% of Tampa (TPA) to Chicago (ORD) flights arrived on time (3,200 scheduled flights). That is 4.0 points below the national average of 77.6%.
United Airlines was the most punctual of the 5 airlines on the route at 75.3%, while Frontier Airlines trailed at 66.4%.
September has been the best month (90% on time) and Sunday the weakest day of the week (70%).
1.6% of flights were cancelled, versus 1.8% nationally.
TPA 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 75.3% | 78 min | 0.6% | 1,433 |
| American Airlines | 74.3% | 95 min | 2.0% | 1,144 |
| Spirit Airlines | 69.3% | 85 min | 3.6% | 250 |
| Southwest Airlines | 68.1% | 57 min | 0.9% | 214 |
| Frontier Airlines | 66.4% | 154 min | 5.1% | 156 |
| Envoy Air | Limited data | 2 | ||
| Republic Airways | Limited data | 1 | ||
80%+ good 70–79.9% fair <70% poor
Best time of day to fly TPA to ORD
On-time arrival % by scheduled departure hour (local time), 6,284 flights over 24 months.
Show the numbers
| Departure hour | On time | Cancelled | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5am–6am | 92.8% | 5.5% | 73 |
| 6am–7am | 89.7% | 2.6% | 313 |
| 7am–8am | 89.4% | 1.3% | 1,077 |
| 8am–9am | 90.3% | 0.0% | 185 |
| 9am–10am | 82.7% | 0.0% | 243 |
| 10am–11am | 81.0% | 2.4% | 124 |
| 11am–12pm | 79.4% | 1.8% | 341 |
| 12pm–1pm | 82.5% | 1.7% | 1,065 |
| 1pm–2pm | 77.5% | 1.6% | 367 |
| 2pm–3pm | 68.3% | 1.0% | 388 |
| 3pm–4pm | 63.4% | 0.0% | 101 |
| 4pm–5pm | 61.5% | 1.9% | 807 |
| 5pm–6pm | 62.6% | 2.9% | 312 |
| 6pm–7pm | 56.5% | 2.3% | 471 |
| 7pm–8pm | 60.2% | 2.7% | 259 |
| 8pm–9pm | 61.5% | 2.5% | 40 |
| 9pm–10pm | 68.8% | 4.6% | 65 |
| 10pm–11pm | 61.5% | 1.9% | 53 |
Best day of the week
24 months, by day of departure.
Best month to fly
24 months, by calendar month.
Holiday travel on TPA 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) | 73.2% | -4.2 pts | 5.9% | 135 |
| Christmas & New Year (Dec 20 - Jan 3) | 70.9% | -6.5 pts | 1.6% | 363 |
| Summer peak (Jun 15 - Aug 15) | 69.3% | -8.1 pts | 1.9% | 912 |
| All other days | 77.4% | — | 1.6% | 4,874 |
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).