Route on-time record
PHL to MDW: most on-time flights and the best time to fly
Philadelphia (Philadelphia International Airport) to Chicago (Chicago Midway International Airport). 1,531 nonstop flights in Jun 2025 to May 2026, 72% arrived within 15 minutes and 1.5% were cancelled. The most reliable flight number was Southwest 3728 at 7:55 AM.
Flying on a specific date? We’ll adjust for the month, the weekday and the forecast.
PHL → MDW
Philadelphia to Chicago: 1,531 nonstop flights a year
On time (12 months)
72%
Cancelled
1.5%
avg delay 21 min
Best time to leave
Before 9 AM
88% on time vs 45% 6 to 9 PM
Most reliable airline
Frontier
73% chance on time
Lowest nonstop fare seen in the next two months: $195 (Southwest 2414 on 2026-10-24). 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 · Southwest 3728
7:55 AM → 9:05 AM2h 10m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
85%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 91%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 10 min
- Arrived on time 91% of the time (55 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 55 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 88% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 45%).
- Departs outside PHL's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 72% of its 95 ground stops and delay programs started).
Limited track record · 55 flights
Find Southwest 3728 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#2 · Southwest 4173
7:30 AM → 8:40 AM2h 10m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.
84%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 91%
- Cancelled
- 3.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 4 min
- Arrived on time 91% of the time (32 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Cancelled 3.0% of the time (1 of 33).
- Leaves in this route's most on-time window (Before 9 AM: 88% on time; 6 to 9 PM: 45%).
- Departs outside PHL's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 72% of its 95 ground stops and delay programs started).
Limited track record · 32 flights
Find Southwest 4173 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#3 · Southwest 2748
11:10 AM → 12:20 PM2h 10m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-29.
82%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 90%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 9 min
- Arrived on time 90% of the time (39 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 39 scheduled flights.
- Departs outside PHL's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 72% of its 95 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Lands inside MDW's trouble window: 50% of its 30 ground stops and delay programs started between 7 AM and 1 PM.
Limited track record · 39 flights
Find Southwest 2748 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#4 · Southwest 3729
2:15 PM → 3:25 PM2h 10m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
77%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 81%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 25 min
- Arrived on time 81% of the time (54 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 54 scheduled flights.
- Departs inside PHL's trouble window: 72% of its 95 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
- 52% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
Limited track record · 54 flights
Find Southwest 3729 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#5 · Southwest 2506
12:15 PM → 1:20 PM2h 05m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
77%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 75%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 16 min
- Arrived on time 75% of the time (8 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside PHL's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 72% of its 95 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Short track record (8 flights), so its score leans on the airline's record at this hour.
Limited track record · 8 flights
Find Southwest 2506 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#6 · Southwest 3431
11:25 AM → 12:40 PM2h 15m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06.
76%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 71%
- Cancelled
- 6.7%
- Avg arrival delay
- 19 min
- Arrived on time 71% of the time (14 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Departs outside PHL's trouble window (2 PM to 8 PM, when 72% of its 95 ground stops and delay programs started).
- Lands inside MDW's trouble window: 50% of its 30 ground stops and delay programs started between 7 AM and 1 PM.
- 53% of its delay minutes came from the plane arriving late from an earlier flight.
Limited track record · 14 flights
Find Southwest 3431 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#7 · Southwest 3730
6:00 PM → 7:10 PM2h 10m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-05-31.
59%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 59%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 25 min
- Arrived on time 59% of the time (54 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 55 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's least on-time window (6 to 9 PM: 45% on time; Before 9 AM: 88%).
- Departs inside PHL's trouble window: 72% of its 95 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
Limited track record · 54 flights
Find Southwest 3730 fares Opens this date on Aviasales#8 · Southwest 4117
7:05 PM → 8:25 PM2h 20m nonstop
Local times, typical schedule. Last flown 2026-04-06. Same departure also flew as Southwest 1763; its record covers all of them.
45%
chance on time
- On time (history)
- 35%
- Cancelled
- 0.0%
- Avg arrival delay
- 46 min
- Arrived on time 35% of the time (31 flights, Jun 2025 to May 2026).
- Never cancelled in 33 scheduled flights.
- Leaves in this route's least on-time window (6 to 9 PM: 45% on time; Before 9 AM: 88%).
- Departs inside PHL's trouble window: 72% of its 95 ground stops and delay programs started between 2 PM and 8 PM.
Limited track record · 31 flights
Find Southwest 4117 fares Opens this date on Aviasales
Airlines on this route
Season-adjusted chance of operating and arriving on time.
- Frontier Airlines73%
86 flights · 77% on time as flown · 2.2% cancel
- Southwest Airlines71%
1,445 flights · 72% on time as flown · 1.4% cancel
On time by departure time
All airlines, scheduled local departure, Jun 2025 to May 2026.
- Before 9 AM88%
392 flights · avg delay 9 min
- 9 AM to noon84%
220 flights · avg delay 9 min
- Noon to 3 PM80%
320 flights · avg delay 14 min
- 3 to 6 PM62%
273 flights · avg delay 31 min
- 6 to 9 PM45%
304 flights · avg delay 39 min
Best day: Tuesday (80%). Worst: Sunday (71%).
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
- Late-arriving aircraft48%
- Airline (crew, maintenance, boarding)27%
- Air traffic control and airport volume23%
- Severe weather3%
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
PHL to MDW questions
- What time of day is best to fly PHL to MDW?
- Before 9 AM: 88% of flights arrived on time, against 45% 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 PHL to MDW?
- Frontier, with a season-adjusted 73% chance of operating and arriving on time over 86 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 PHL to MDW?
- July (61% on time); the best was February (86%), 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 PHL
- MDW to PHL (return)
- PHL to ATL 78%
- PHL to MCO 72%
- PHL to BOS 75%
- PHL to ORD 72%
- PHL to CLT 80%
- PHL to DFW 77%
- PHL to FLL 72%
- PHL to MIA 77%
- PHL to DEN 76%
- PHL to DTW 80%
- PHL to BNA 75%
- PHL to TPA 73%
Live status: FAA delays and ground stops