Is there a ground stop at RFD today?
Live FAA delay status for Chicago Rockford International Airport (KRFD, Chicago/Rockford, IL): ground stops, ground delay programs and delays right now, what the FAA has listed for RFD recently, and how often flights here actually run late.
No: the FAA is not reporting a ground stop at RFD right now.
FAA NAS Status lists no ground stop, ground delay program, or delay event for Chicago Rockford Intl. Checked Sep 22, 2026 · 2033Z (3:33 PM CDT); this page refreshes about every two minutes.
Recent FAA events at RFD
Ground stops and delay programs the FAA has listed for RFD in the last 90 days, from ATIS Alerts' own log of FAA NAS Status.
- Airport ClosureAug 10, 2026 · 0447Z (11:47 PM CDT)lasted 2h 12m · !rfd 08/041 rfd ad ap clsd to div air carrier acft exc emerg acft 1hr ppr at 815-969-4011 2608100444-2608100700
Durations are the time the FAA kept the event listed. Log complete from 2026-09-22; older rows are the last event of each type seen by the ATIS Alerts bot since 2026-07-22.
How often is RFD delayed?
Airline on-time performance at RFD, Jun 2025 to May 2026, from the US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
965 scheduled airline arrivals and 965 departures in the period. Best month: Sep 2025 (91.7% on time); worst: Oct 2025 (72.3%). 33% of arrival delay minutes were charged to weather or the National Airspace System, the categories a ground stop or ground delay program falls under.
On-time arrivals by month
Bar = share of arrivals within 15 minutes of schedule; largest month had 100 arrivals.
What caused the delays
- 42%Airline (crew, maintenance, ground handling)
- 25%Late-arriving aircraft
- 23%National Airspace System (ATC, volume, non-extreme weather)
- 10%Extreme weather
- 0%Security
Shares of delay minutes on arrivals 15+ minutes late, as reported by the carriers to the DOT.
Source: BTS Airline On-Time Performance (reporting carriers; regional, cargo, and general aviation flights are not included). Published about two months after each month ends.
Weather at KRFD right now
Weather drives most ground stops: thunderstorms, low ceilings, wind and snow.
METAR KRFD 221954Z 05006G16KT 10SM SCT041 SCT100 OVC150 17/08 A3031 RMK AO2 SLP265 T01670078
What a ground stop at RFD means
When the FAA issues a ground stop for Chicago Rockford Intl, aircraft headed there are held at their departure airports until it lifts; flights already airborne continue, hold, or divert. It is the FAA's most severe traffic-management step short of closing the airport, and it is usually issued in 30 to 90 minute increments that get extended while the cause persists, then often converted into a ground delay program as conditions improve.
Passengers:your aircraft is probably sitting at its origin; the airline's "delayed" status usually resolves in waves after the stop lifts. Pilots: a stop at RFD ripples into the satellite airports and the whole TRACON; check the national board for programs at your alternate.
Terminology: ground stops explained · GDPs and EDCTs explained
RFD ground stop FAQ
How do I know if RFD has a ground stop right now?
The banner at the top of this page reads the FAA's NAS Status feed about every two minutes. A red banner means the FAA currently lists a ground stop for Chicago Rockford Intl; green means it does not. The official source is nasstatus.faa.gov.
How long do ground stops at RFD last?
We have not recorded enough ground stops here yet to give an airport-specific average. Nationally, most stops run 30 to 90 minutes per issuance, but a stalled line of storms can keep one extended for hours.
Does a ground stop mean my flight is cancelled?
No. It means departures to RFDare held, not cancelled. Airlines cancel on their own when the backlog cannot be recovered, so watch your carrier's updates alongside this page.
⚠️ Informational only. FAA NAS Status is the authoritative source for delay programs; your airline or dispatch governs your flight. ATIS Alerts is not affiliated with the FAA.