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 MDW → BUF flights land within a few points of 3 in 4 on time whatever the hour.

Nonstops (seasonal or thin)


Southwest	MDW	BUF	1h 30m	75%	1.5%	824	Flying now

Best connections, one ticket

Most reliable Quickest (80%+ on time)

Ranked by chance you reach Buffalo on time. Total trip = scheduled departure to arrival, layover included (Buffalo is 1 h ahead of Chicago). Layovers up to 4 hours. Pick a connection for the details.


Delta Details →	MDW 09:54 → MSP 11:35DL 5469 · flown by Endeavor	3h 47m Minneapolis	MSP 15:22 → BUF 18:27DL 1749	7h 33m	98%	82%
Southwest Details →	MDW 07:00 → BWI 09:45WN 2742	1h 05m Baltimore	BWI 10:50 → BUF 12:05WN 762	4h 05m	94%	80%
Southwest Details →	MDW 08:55 → BWI 11:45WN 1355	1h 15m Baltimore	BWI 13:00 → BUF 14:15WN 894	4h 20m	95%	76%
Delta Details →	MDW 09:17 → DTW 11:35DL 4674 · flown by Endeavor	2h 28m Detroit	DTW 14:03 → BUF 15:21DL 3642 · flown by SkyWest	5h 04m	96%	72%
Delta Details →	MDW 11:05 → ATL 14:01DL 1063	2h 32m Atlanta	ATL 16:33 → BUF 18:41DL 2050	6h 36m	98%	69%
Delta Details →	MDW 17:10 → ATL 20:22DL 1728	1h 27m Atlanta	ATL 21:49 → BUF 23:59DL 2334	5h 49m	86%	64%
Delta Details →	MDW 13:26 → DTW 15:44DL 4688 · flown by Endeavor	2h 15m Detroit	DTW 17:59 → BUF 19:17DL 3637 · flown by SkyWest	4h 51m	93%	59%
Delta Details →	MDW 18:58 → DTW 21:16DL 4690 · flown by Endeavor	1h 34m Detroit	DTW 22:50 → BUF 23:58DL 978	4h 01m	75%	54%
Tight connection: often missed
Southwest Details →	MDW 19:00 → BWI 21:55WN 2745	1h 00m Baltimore	BWI 22:55 → BUF 00:15 +1WN 4577	4h 10m	66%	40%

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.

Morning

BWI · 1h 15m · leaves 08:55 5%

Afternoon and evening

BWI · 1h 00m · leaves 19:00 34%

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 4611 MDW 07:40 → BOS American AA 4440 BOS 13:55 → BUF Connection details →	3h 00m	7h 04m	100%	88%
Southwest WN 2869 MDW 10:15 → MSP Delta DL 1749 MSP 15:22 → BUF Connection details →	3h 37m	7h 12m	98%	82%
Southwest WN 3054 MDW 07:15 → ATL Delta DL 2266 ATL 14:00 → BUF Connection details →	3h 55m	7h 51m	100%	82%

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