CHICAGO – O’Hare International Airport was ranked among the top 20 mega airports in the world for on-time performance according OAG, the authority on aviation information around the globe. With an on-time percentage just shy of 80 percent, O’Hare ranked seventh among international airports that had 30 million or more departing seats in 2017, putting it ahead of major airports in the U.S. and across the globe including Los Angeles, New York JFK, San Francisco, London Heathrow, Dubai and Hong Kong.

O’Hare’s on-time performance in 2017 was recognized in OAG’s Punctuality League Report released yesterday. Last year’s success at O’Hare follows dramatic improvements made on reducing delays over the past few years.

 “The substantial investment Chicago has made in modernizing O’Hare in recent years has resulted in fewer delays and more on-time flights for passengers flying through O’Hare today,” said Ginger S. Evans, Commissioner, Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA). “With future investments to further grow our capacity in the near future, O’Hare’s reliability, connectivity and overall customer experience will continue to improve and the airport will solidify its position as one of the world’s busiest and best.”

The OAG Punctuality League is based on 57 million flight records using full-year data from 2017 to create a ranking of the best on-time performance for the world’s largest airlines and airports. OAG’s definition of on-time performance is flights that arrive or depart within 14 minutes and 59 seconds (under 15 minutes) of their scheduled arrival/departure times. Cancellations are also included. O’Hare’s on-time performance is particularly impressive given Chicago’s winter weather conditions.

“Chicago’s O’Hare performed very well in on-time performance in 2017,” said Mike Benjamin, COO of OAG. “The strong rating is a testament to the airport’s continued investments in punctuality and the traveler experience.”

In addition to the positive ranking for OTP at O’Hare International Airport overall, certain international and domestic routes to and from Chicago were highlighted for punctuality. Flights from Chicago O’Hare to Toronto, operated by American Airlines, Air Canada and United Airlines, ranked 14 for OTP among the top 20 busiest international routes. Flights from New York LaGuardia to Chicago O’Hare, operated by American, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines and United, ranked 12 among the top 20 busiest domestic routes in the world.

For this year’s report, OAG introduced a new category to showcase airports with over 30 million annual departing seats. The new category delivers important differentiation for airports like O’Hare with over 30 million seats. To view the full OAG Punctuality League Report visit www.oag.com.

OAG also recently acknowledged O'Hare as number one for best connected U.S. airports in 2017.

Continued investments at O’Hare’s airfield have resulted in dramatic improvements to reducing delays. As a result of these improvements driving capacity, FAA reported delays have dropped by more than 72 percent over the last decade—from 64,438 in 2008 to 17,755 in 2016. These improvements coincide with the opening of three new runways and a runway extension recently built at O'Hare, paving the way for continued improvements such as a new runway in 2020, a new centralizing deicing facility later this year, and more. When these improvements are completed, O'Hare will have the most modern and efficient airfield in the country. 

The City of Chicago, along with its airline partners, will further expand capacity at O’Hare through the development of a multi-billion dollar capital program, called O’Hare 21. O’Hare 21 will focus on modernizing terminals, expanding gate capacity and passenger amenities, and other enhancements to increase the efficiency of the growing airport operations. Not only does on-time performance stand to improve, but these investments will provide for increased ease and connectivity for travelers, while ensuring that O’Hare remains a top choice for passengers in Chicago and around the world.