RDU → MDWRaleigh/Durham to Chicago

live

Direct flights from Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Chicago (MDW): 7 nonstop departures observed each week across 1 airline. 78% of the last 9 operated flights arrived within 15 minutes of schedule. The median arrival is 10 minutes early. No cancellations were recorded across the 9 tracked flights. The nonstop covers 1,016 km, an estimated 1 hour 48 minutes in the air. Measured by Pro Flight Search from live flight boards at Raleigh/Durham and Chicago. Updated 21 October 2026 at 20:54 UTC.

Today, RDU → MDW

Wed 21 Oct · local times
  1. 07:00 WN3568Southwest Airlines Left 07:05 +5 Landed 07:35 −25
  2. 18:50 WN4291Southwest Airlines On scheduleT1 MDW 19:55scheduled

Checked RDU board 15:03 · MDW board 15:54

RDU Raleigh/Durham smooth · +12
MDW Chicago smooth · +0
1,016 km · ~1h 48m est.
dep bank 06:55–19:307x weekly
Runs mixed · 1 airline · 7x weekly · nonstop
78% on time

of the last 9 operated RDU → MDW flights arrived within 15 minutes

Median arrival delay is −10 min. 0 of 9 tracked legs cancelled in the sample. Will a delayed flight be cancelled? →

Median arrival−10 minacross the last 9 operated legs
Flight time~1h 48mestimated from route distance
Weekly departures7x1 direct airline on the leg

The week

scheduled departures · origin local time
06121824
Mon
Tue
Wed
Thu
Fri
Sat
Sun
Southwest Airlines

Each mark is a scheduled departure at its origin-local time, observed operating in the last 7 days. Today is highlighted.

Who flies it

observed on the boards · 7 days
Southwest AirlinesWN78% on time

Flights WN3568 varies Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa · WN4043 08:00 Su · WN2421 12:30 Mo Th Fr · WN3569 12:30 Su

History

operated legs · board outcomes
10-21WN3568dep +5 → arr−25
10-20WN3568dep +12 → arr−17
10-20WN4291dep +56 → arr+20
10-19WN2421dep +11 → arr−10
10-19WN3568dep +14 → arr−13
10-19WN4291dep +81 → arr+55
10-18WN2205dep +25 → arr−2
10-18WN3569dep +27 → arr+2
10-18WN4043dep +8 → arr−17

Actual board outcomes rather than schedules, paired departure and arrival per flight and day.

Full board history, day by day →

Airports right now

live boards
RDURaleigh/Durham +12 min smooth 🌤 clear · N 7 kt Full RDU delay board →
MDWChicago +0 min smooth 🌤 few clouds · 3 kt Full MDW delay board →

Weather lens

Current conditions put the pressure at RDU and MDW: 40% odds of a 15+ minute delay and around +9 min expected when it bites, measured from this route's own weather-matched delay history. See live delays → · Weather risk by airport →

How the Raleigh/Durham to Chicago route actually runs

Pro Flight Search records official board updates for nonstop RDU to MDW flights through the day: schedules, estimates, gate pushes and actual departures. The verdict above comes from operated flights, so it reflects what this route does rather than what the timetable promises.

Planning around a delay? Live airport delays · Weather delay risk map · Will a delayed flight be cancelled? · Do planes make up time in the air? · How we measure

Cite this data

Journalists, bloggers, and researchers may cite this page with attribution and a link to Pro Flight Search.

Suggested citation

Pro Flight Search — Raleigh/Durham (RDU) to Chicago (MDW) route reliability, measured from operated flights on official airport boards.

Canonical URL
https://proflightsearch.com/search-flights/RDU-MDW
How we measure this →

RDU to MDW questions

Is RDU–MDW running on time right now?

Smooth skies ahead. The departure side at RDU is the weaker end, route health score 92/100. The airports section above carries the live status and delay window at both ends.

Morning or evening flight on RDU–MDW?

Operators schedule morning departures around 08:00 and evening departures around 19:30 from RDU. Earlier flights typically land before destination-airport delays accumulate later in the day; check the MDW delay card to confirm conditions when you'd arrive.

How long is the flight from RDU to MDW?

Great-circle distance is 1,016 km. With typical jet cruise speed plus taxi, climb and descent, expect roughly 102–117 min gate-to-gate on this route.

How often does RDU–MDW fly?

Southwest Airlines runs the route with about 18 flights a week (daily). Since one carrier owns the route, a single disruption tends to ripple through the day.