Route on-time record
DSM to ORD: most on-time flights and the best time to fly
Des Moines (Des Moines International Airport) to Chicago (Chicago O'Hare International Airport). 3,416 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 73% arrived within 15 minutes and 3.8% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was American 1536 at 6:00 AM.
Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.
DSM → ORD
Des Moines to Chicago: 3,416 nonstop flights a year
On time (12 months)
73%
Cancelled
3.8%
avg delay 27 min
Best time to leave
Before 9 AM
83% on time vs 57% 6 to 9 PM
Most reliable airline
American
78% chance on time
Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $127 (American 4510 on 2026-10-22). Fares open on our travel partner (Aviasales). Pick the flight number you chose here.
Most reliable nonstop flights
Ranked by the chance the flight operates and arrives within 15 minutes of schedule, from Jun 2025 to May 2026 records.
#1 · American 1536
6:00 AM → 7:41 AM1h 41m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.
85%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 93%
- Cancelled
- 6.8%
- Avg arrival delay
- 12 min
- Arrived on time 93% of the time (41 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 6.8% of the time (3 of 44).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 83% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 57%).
- Short track record (41 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 41 flights
Find American 1536 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#2 · Republic 4417 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
8:56 AM → 10:36 AM1h 40m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.
84%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 91%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 6 min
- Arrived on time 91% of the time (44 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 44 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 83% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 57%).
- Short track record (44 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 44 flights
Find 8:56 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#3 · American 1312
5:00 AM → 6:29 AM1h 29m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.
82%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 88%
- Cancelled
- 20.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 9 min
- Arrived on time 88% of the time (24 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 20.0% of the time (6 of 30).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 83% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 57%).
- Short track record (24 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 24 flights
Find American 1312 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#4 · United 1856
6:00 AM → 7:40 AM1h 40m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
81%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 91%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 31 min
- Arrived on time 91% of the time (11 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 83% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 57%).
- Short track record (11 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 11 flights
Find United 1856 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#5 · United 2668
8:04 AM → 9:36 AM1h 32m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20. Same departure also flew as United 1363; its record covers all of them.
81%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 83%
- Cancelled
- 1.7%
- Avg arrival delay
- 14 min
- Arrived on time 83% of the time (343 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 83% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 57%).
Strong track record · 343 flights
Find United 2668 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#6 · Republic 4676 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
1:48 PM → 3:31 PM1h 43m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
81%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 100%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 0 min
- Arrived on time 100% of the time (11 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Lands inside ORD's trouble window: 44% of its 243 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- Short track record (11 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 11 flights
Find 1:48 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#7 · Envoy 4114 · sold as American Eagle
2:16 PM → 3:59 PM1h 43m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20.
77%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 84%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 16 min
- Arrived on time 84% of the time (44 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 44 scheduled flights.
- Lands inside ORD's trouble window: 44% of its 243 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- 71% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
Limited track record · 44 flights
Find 2:16 PM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#8 · Republic 4519 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
5:00 AM → 6:43 AM1h 43m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
77%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 75%
- Cancelled
- 4.2%
- Avg arrival delay
- 15 min
- Arrived on time 75% of the time (68 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 4.2% of the time (3 of 71).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 83% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 57%).
Moderate track record · 68 flights
Find 5:00 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#9 · SkyWest 5726 · sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska
6:15 AM → 7:53 AM1h 38m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-20. Same departure also flew as SkyWest 5340; its record covers all of them.
77%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 89%
- Cancelled
- 10.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 13 min
- Arrived on time 89% of the time (45 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 10.0% of the time (5 of 50).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 83% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 57%).
- Short track record (45 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 45 flights
Find 6:15 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales#10 · Republic 4778 · sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express
6:40 AM → 8:25 AM1h 45m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.
76%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 71%
- Cancelled
- 2.9%
- Avg arrival delay
- 24 min
- Arrived on time 71% of the time (34 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 83% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 57%).
- Short track record (34 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 34 flights
Find 6:40 AM flight fares Opens this date on Aviasales
Airlines on this route
Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.
- American Airlines78%
293 flights · 84% on time as flown · 4.9% cancel
- Envoy Air (sold as American Eagle)75%
441 flights · 78% on time as flown · 2.5% cancel
- Republic Airways (sold as American Eagle, Delta Connection or United Express)74%
560 flights · 76% on time as flown · 4.0% cancel
- United Airlines71%
951 flights · 73% on time as flown · 2.0% cancel
- SkyWest Airlines (sold as United Express, Delta Connection, American Eagle or Alaska)63%
1,170 flights · 66% on time as flown · 5.4% cancel
On time by departure time
All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Before 9 AM83%
1,153 flights · avg delay 16 min
- 9 AM to noon74%
598 flights · avg delay 24 min
- Noon to 3 PM75%
504 flights · avg delay 23 min
- 3 to 6 PM64%
573 flights · avg delay 36 min
- 6 to 9 PM57%
584 flights · avg delay 47 min
Best day: Saturday (80%). Worst: Friday (75%).
On time by month
All airlines, Jun 2023 to May 2026. Several years per month, so one stormy season doesn't define a month. Travel-month estimates use this seasonal pattern.
What delays this route
- Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)33%
- Late-arriving aircraft30%
- Air traffic control and airport volume24%
- Severe weather14%
Share of delay minutes by the cause airlines report to the US DOT.
Historical odds, not a guarantee. Built from the US DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics on-time reports (Jun 2025 to May 2026), FAA ground stop and delay program advisories, and 20 years of airport weather observations. Covers US airlines that report to the DOT; schedules are flights operated recently, so confirm times when you book. ATIS Alerts is not affiliated with any airline. Fares are what Aviasales travelers saw in recent searches (USD, one way, 1 adult), not live quotes; the partner site shows the current price. Fare links go to our travel partner and may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Affiliate disclosure
DSM to ORD questions
- What time of day is best to fly DSM to ORD?
- Before 9 AM: 83% of flights arrived on time, against 57% for departures 6 to 9 PM. Later flights inherit delays from earlier ones, so the first departures of the day usually run best.
- Which airline is most on time from DSM to ORD?
- American, with a season-adjusted 78% chance of operating and arriving on time over 293 flights. The adjustment compares each airline with what the route did in the months it flew, so a carrier that skipped a stormy month gets no free credit.
- What is the worst month for delays on DSM to ORD?
- July (70% on time); the best was February (84%), averaged over Jun 2023 to May 2026.
- Is this a prediction for my flight?
- No. These are historical odds from the US DOT on-time reports, FAA advisories and airport weather records. Check your flight status and the FAA delay board on the day you fly.
More routes from DSM
- ORD to DSM (return)
- DSM to DEN 83%
- DSM to DFW 73%
- DSM to ATL 89%
- DSM to PHX 82%
- DSM to CLT 83%
- DSM to DCA 77%
- DSM to LAS 82%
- DSM to STL 90%
- DSM to IAH 90%
- DSM to PHL 80%
Live status: FAA delays and ground stops