Itineraries flown on 20+ days in the Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026 schedule · each leg’s record Aug 2025 – Jul 2026

No clear winner: Southwest’s DAL → ORD flights land within a few points of 3 in 4 on time whatever the hour.

Nonstops (none in the current schedule)


Southwest	DAL	ORD	2h 25m	75%	0.9%	450	Not flying now

Best connections, one ticket

Most reliable Quickest (80%+ on time)

Ranked by chance you reach Chicago on time. Total trip = scheduled departure to arrival, layover included. Layovers up to 4 hours. Pick a connection for the details.


Delta Details →	DAL 06:05 → ATL 09:15DL 516	3h 47m Atlanta	ATL 13:02 → ORD 14:16DL 1477	8h 11m	98%	71%
Delta Details →	DAL 15:59 → ATL 19:14DL 512	3h 36m Atlanta	ATL 22:50 → ORD 23:53DL 1199	8h 00m	97%	66%
Delta Details →	DAL 12:19 → ATL 15:31DL 1115	3h 44m Atlanta	ATL 19:15 → ORD 20:33DL 2486	8h 13m	98%	60%
Delta Details →	DAL 10:09 → ATL 13:20DL 441	2h 30m Atlanta	ATL 15:50 → ORD 17:04DL 2738	6h 57m	98%	57%
Tight connection: often missed
Delta Details →	DAL 18:40 → ATL 22:00DL 2780	50m Atlanta	ATL 22:50 → ORD 23:53DL 1199	5h 19m	72%	48%

Same layover, different day-part

How often the first flight arrives too late to connect (45 min minimum), for one-ticket layovers of 45–80 minutes.

Afternoon and evening

ATL · 50m · leaves 18:40 28%

Delays build through the day, so an afternoon first leg eats the layover. A short connection is fine early in the morning and a gamble later on.

Mixing airlines

One ticketMiss it and the airline rebooks you; bags go through. 45 min is enough.

Separate ticketsMiss it and you buy a new ticket. Re-check bags, clear security again: we require 90 min.


Southwest WN 1434 DAL 06:05 → MCO American AA 2067 MCO 11:38 → ORD Connection details →	1h 53m	7h 40m	100%	91%
Southwest WN 1318 DAL 06:05 → LAS American AA 2020 LAS 09:40 → ORD Connection details →	2h 50m	9h 37m	100%	90%
Southwest WN 1415 DAL 06:10 → TPA United UA 2223 TPA 12:30 → ORD Connection details →	2h 55m	8h 30m	100%	85%

Rank all connections, any airlines →

Regional partners count as the airline that sells them: SkyWest flying Delta Connection is one Delta ticket.

How these are worked out. Makes the connection: share of the last year’s flights where the first flight arrived with at least 45 minutes to spare (90 on separate tickets). Arrives on time: first flight not cancelled × connection made × second flight not cancelled and arriving within 15 minutes. Not yet counted: the second flight also leaving late (which helps), gate-to-gate distance at the hub, and rebooking after a missed connection.

About this data: US DOT on-time records, Aug 2025 – Jul 2026, all US airlines; regional flights count under the airline that sells them. Schedules (which flights and connections exist, and their times) are as of Jun 6 – Jul 31, 2026; seasonal flights outside that window aren’t ranked. Rebuilt monthly. JSON