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

No nonstop, and no clear pattern: the best connection reaches Chicago on time 7 times in 10.

Best connections, any airlines

Ranked by chance you reach Chicago on time. Total trip = scheduled departure to arrival, layover included (Chicago is 2 h ahead of Long Beach). Layovers up to 4 hours. Pick a connection for the details.


Southwest + Americantwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 19:22 → SMF 20:48WN 2507	2h 22m Sacramento	SMF 23:10 → ORD 05:36 +1AA 3060	8h 11m	94%	86%
Southwest + Americantwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 06:50 → LAS 08:05WN 2484	1h 35m Las Vegas	LAS 09:40 → ORD 15:42AA 2020	6h 52m	92%	81%
Southwest + Unitedtwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 15:15 → LAS 16:25WN 2414	2h 38m Las Vegas	LAS 19:03 → ORD 00:50 +1UA 1672	7h 35m	98%	79%
Southwest + Unitedtwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 07:50 → PHX 09:10WN 2491	2h 02m Phoenix	PHX 11:12 → ORD 16:54UA 1748	7h 04m	98%	75%
Southwest + Americantwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 20:15 → PHX 21:50WN 2494	3h 00m Phoenix	PHX 00:50 → ORD 06:25 +1AA 1148	8h 10m	95%	73%
Southwest + Deltatwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 08:00 → SLC 10:45WN 2501	3h 50m Salt Lake City	SLC 14:35 → ORD 18:58DL 2377	8h 58m	100%	71%
Delta Details →	LGB 13:00 → SLC 15:51DL 1116	1h 30m Salt Lake City	SLC 17:21 → ORD 21:29DL 2413	6h 33m	94%	69%
Southwest + Unitedtwo ticketsDetails →	LGB 07:55 → DEN 11:10WN 4574	2h 15m Denver	DEN 13:25 → ORD 17:05UA 617	7h 10m	100%	68%

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.

The table above includes two-ticket connections (marked “two tickets”), held to the 90-minute minimum. One ticket only →

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