$192 Find Cheap Flights from New York to Chicago – Compare and Save

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from New York to Chicago:

• Earliest: departs at 05:02 and lands at 07:53
• Latest: departs at 22:13 and lands at 01:04.

The flight takes about 2h 51m.

Only Economy class is available on flights from New York to Chicago.

A direct flight from New York to Chicago takes 2h 51m, covering 1,841 km.

No, a passport is not required for this domestic route, but you will need another form of identification, such as a driving licence.

Return flights from New York to Chicago range from $261 to $503, with an average of $372 over the past 12 months. Anything below $261 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within two weeks of departure) run 24% above the $372 route average. Book 6 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average $286 return via Fort Lauderdale (FLL), compared with $372 for direct.

United Airlines is slightly above the route average for timely arrivals, while American Airlines has a lower on-time arrival rate. On-time arrival rates on New York to Chicago flights are:

• United Airlines: 87% on time
• American Airlines: 85% on time
• Delta: 83% on time

On average, flights on this route are punctual 83% of the time.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge $50–$142 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

Morning is the busiest departure period on New York to Chicago flights, with 47% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 27%, Evening flights for 23%, and Night flights for 3%.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, return flight prices on this route showed a wide range, from about $375 to $2,867. That means the highest observed fare was about 8x higher than the lowest one.

Three airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi on New York to Chicago flights:

• American Airlines
• Delta
• JetBlue

Pricing varies by airline and fare class. Some plans are included with the ticket or loyalty programme, while others are paid add-ons priced by flight length.

Based on prices from the last 5 days, flying between New York and Chicago is around $375 return, with a flight time of about 4h 45m. Taking the train is much cheaper at around $278, with a trip time of about 19h 32m. The bus is similarly priced at around $230 and takes about 16h 55m. Compared to flying, recent train and bus fares are roughly 33% lower. However, those options take about 13+ hours longer each way.

One-way fares from New York to Chicago are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $199, which is 23% below the typical average for this route.

Since Chicago is served by multiple airports, car hire options and rates can vary depending on which one you fly into.
Near Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) – daily rates from around $24:

• Routes Car & Truck Rentals
• Europcar
• Hertz
• Ace
• Dollar

Near Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) – daily rates from around $46:

• Hertz
• Dollar
• Budget
• Alamo
• Rent-A-Wreck

Near Chicago Greater Rockford Airport (RFD) – daily rates from around $39:

• Alamo
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car
• Budget
• Avis
• National

Flights from New York to Chicago may depart from several airports in New York area, including Newark (EWR), New York John F Kennedy Intl (JFK) and New York LaGuardia (LGA), with arrivals available at airports in Chicago such as Chicago Midway (MDW), Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) and Chicago Greater Rockford (RFD).

Morning flights have the fewest delays on this route, while night departures tend to have the most.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the New York to Chicago route, 17% of flights were delayed in the past three months, with delays averaging 2h 48m.

One-stop flights from New York to Chicago most commonly connect through:

• Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) – 44% of one-stop connections
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) – 20% of one-stop connections
• Orlando (MCO) – 8% of one-stop connections
• Washington, D.C. Reagan-National (DCA) – 7% of one-stop connections

Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 17% on flights from New York to Chicago. Saturday is the cheapest departure day at $344 return on average, while Monday is the most expensive at $413, a difference of $70.

Cheaper weekend fares like these are typical of routes dominated by weekday business travel.

4 airlines operate flights between New York and Chicago. The airlines offering direct flights on this route include:

• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta
• Southwest

Flying via Indianapolis (IND) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 4h 13m, compared to 4h 22m via Pittsburgh (PIT) and 4h 33m via Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW).

Chicago is 1 hour behind New York (Central Time vs Eastern Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Some of the most popular sights in Chicago are River North, Millennium Park, and Chicago Water Tower. These are among the most viewed places in Chicago on KAYAK.

Among airlines operating New York to Chicago flights:

• United Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• American Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Delta: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Southwest: offers free seat selection
• JetBlue: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection

Extra legroom and free seat selection availability depends on fare class and route.

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• United Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• American Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• Delta: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class

Baggage allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route, and airline, so always check the fare details before booking.

Chicago Midway is closer to downtown Chicago, and since it is a smaller airport it can be less busy and easier to navigate; however, because of the airport size difference, Chicago O'Hare International tends to have more flights and is served by more carriers.

Rides start at $38 but can, of course, be higher depending on the time of day and traffic conditions.

Chicago O'Hare International utilizes a cell phone lot for those wishing to pick up arriving passengers. The lot has a flight information display to let those waiting know when you have arrived. The airport does not allow stopping in front of the terminal except for immediate pickup of passengers, so the cell phone lot is an excellent option for those waiting for arriving passengers.

One very convenient and unique way to get to New York LaGuardia is via the New York City Ferry. You can take the ferry from New York to the last stop at Astoria and then get a taxi or Uber to the airport. The ferry offers alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks as well as a variety of snacks on board, making it a comfortable journey overall.