To Chicago

Cheap Flights from St. Louis to Chicago

Browse current best options from St. Louis. Become a member to unlock all deals and get alerts when new deals appear.

Deals from

St. Louis

RatePunk searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Chicago

Prices updated 24 days ago

486,190 searches this week

171 airlines compared

80%+ AI score for best value

Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated May 29, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from St. Louis to Chicago

Explore current cheapest deals departing from St. Louis to Chicago

Round trip

Sort by: Cheapest

July 22 - July 29

Cheapest

STL - Chicago

$147

$109

Round trip

July 21 - July 28

Cheapest

STL - Chicago

$134

$109

Round trip

August 5 - August 12

Cheapest

STL - Chicago

$128

$109

Round trip

September 1 - September 2

Cheapest

STL - Chicago

$180

$109

Round trip

December 1 - December 8

Cheapest

Best

STL - Chicago

$174

$109

Round trip

July 14 - July 21

Cheapest

Earliest

STL - Chicago

$137

$109

Round trip

July 15 - July 22

Cheapest

STL - Chicago

$151

$109

Round trip

July 21 - July 28

Cheapest

STL - Chicago

$147

$109

Round trip

July 29 - August 5

Cheapest

STL - Chicago

$147

$109

Round trip

July 14 - July 21

Earliest

STL - Chicago

$151

$110

Round trip

Unlock all 500+ flight deals to Chicago and get alerts when great deals appear

Route Intelligence — 486,190 Searches this Week

Insights for flights from St. Louis to Chicago

Right now, the cheapest month to fly from St. Louis to Chicago is February, with a median fare of $169. January also offers a median fare of $169, making these two months the most economical options. Following these, May presents a median fare of $249, providing another relatively cheaper period for travel.

For travelers seeking cheap flights from St. Louis to Chicago, fares typically range from $207 to $621, with a median fare of $326. Right now, current fares are above the typical level for this route. Only 1% of recent fares were classified as a good price, indicating that finding exceptionally low prices can be challenging. New deals appear almost daily, so setting a price alert can be beneficial.

When considering direct flights from St. Louis to Chicago, a meaningful share are non-stop, while the rest connect once. Specifically, 50.7% of recent fares were for non-stop itineraries. For those itineraries that include connections, the typical number of stopovers is 3, which can significantly extend travel time.

A typical journey from St. Louis to Chicago takes about 3h 9m, including connections. This median duration accounts for both direct flights and itineraries with stopovers. Given that a significant portion of flights include connections, this overall journey time reflects the common experience for travelers on this route.

The distance between St. Louis and Chicago is 404 kilometers. This classifies the route as a short-haul flight, meaning it is a relatively brief journey suitable for quick trips or weekend getaways.

How much is a round trip from St. Louis to Chicago

Regular price: $118 - $304

Prices are currently below the regular range for flights from St. Louis to Chicago.

The regular price range for flights from St. Louis to Chicago is between $118 and $304. The current lowest deal is $109 with Southwest Airlines, for travel from Jul 22-Jul 29.

now $109

Low $118

High $304

The cheapest time to fly from St. Louis to Chicago

The cheapest month to fly from St. Louis to Chicago is January, with a median price of $169. The most expensive month is December, with a median price of $659. Prices are generally lower from January to October.

January

Cheapest

Flights from $169

December

Most Expensive

Flights from $659

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Direct flights from St. Louis to Chicago

American Airlines

Southwest Airlines

Last-minute flights going from St. Louis to Chicago

Tue, Jun 16

⌛ Last-Minute

STL - Chicago

St. Louis (STL) - Chicago (ORD)

Frontier Airlines

$502

$411

One-way

Wed, Jun 17

⌛ Last-Minute

STL - Chicago

St. Louis (STL) - Chicago (ORD)

Frontier Airlines

$500

$421

One-way

Thu, Jun 18

⌛ Last-Minute

STL - Chicago

St. Louis (STL) - Chicago (ORD)

Frontier Airlines

$497

$347

One-way

Thu, Jun 18

⌛ Last-Minute

STL - Chicago

St. Louis (STL) - Chicago (ORD)

Frontier Airlines

$489

$410

One-way

Fri, Jun 19

⌛ Last-Minute

STL - Chicago

St. Louis (STL) - Chicago (ORD)

Frontier Airlines

$442

$391

One-way

Fri, Jun 19

⌛ Last-Minute

STL - Chicago

St. Louis (STL) - Chicago (MDW)

Frontier Airlines

$466

$400

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from St. Louis to Chicago

2 nights

Jun 18 - Jun 20

$497 → $347

30%

1 night

Jun 20 - Jun 21

$473 → $344

27%

2 nights

Jun 24 - Jun 26

$408 → $315

23%

1 night

Jun 16 - Jun 17

$502 → $411

18%

Popular Airports to fly from St. Louis to Chicago

St. Louis - Chicago route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are below the typical level

Recent fares from St. Louis to Chicago are below the typical level, with deals around $109.

📅 Best time to fly

Fly in February for the best prices

Historically, February is the cheapest month to fly, with median prices around $169.

⏱️ Flight duration

Typically 3h 9m flight time

The median flight duration from St. Louis to Chicago is 3 hours and 9 minutes.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Direct flights are available

Around 50.7% of recent deals are for direct flights, with frequent deals available.

🏆 Airline highlight

Southwest Airlines offers direct flights

Southwest Airlines is one of the carriers offering direct flights on this route.

🎯 Booking tip

Consider flying in January or May

January and May also offer historically lower median prices for this route.

St. Louis main airports to depart from

St. Louis Lambert International (STL)

Cheapest

St. Louis Lambert International Airport is a convenient departure point for flights to Chicago.

📍 ~20 km from St. Louis city center (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~$109

Chicago main airports to arrive at

Chicago Midway International (MDW)

Cheapest

Chicago Midway International Airport is a good choice for flights to Chicago, offering competitive prices.

📍 ~15 km from Chicago city center (reachable by car, bus, or train)

💸 Flights from ~$109

Chicago Rockford International (RFD)

Chicago Rockford International Airport serves the Chicago area and may be suitable for travelers.

📍 ~125 km from Chicago city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$261

O Hare International (ORD)

O Hare International Airport is a major hub for flights to Chicago, providing many travel options.

📍 ~25 km from Chicago city center (reachable by car, bus, or train)

💸 Flights from ~$109

Airports nearby Chicago used as alternative

General Mitchell International (MKE)

General Mitchell International offers excellent proximity to Chicago with high-frequency flight options and direct rail access.

📍 ~135 km from Chicago (travel time can be affected by heavy traffic on the I-94 corridor)

💸 Flights from ~$245

South Bend International (SBN)

South Bend International is geographically the closest alternative to Chicago, with direct commuter rail connections.

📍 ~120 km from Chicago (fewer direct flight destinations compared to Milwaukee or Chicago)

💸 Flights from ~$275

Gerald R. Ford International (GRR)

Cheapest

Gerald R. Ford International is a major regional hub, offering a wide range of cabin classes.

📍 ~200 km from Chicago (requires a significant drive, over 2 hours, from central Chicago)

💸 Flights from ~$242

Dane County Regional (MSN)

Dane County Regional is a reliable regional airport with consistent service and less congestion.

📍 ~200 km from Chicago (distance exceeds 190km, making it a secondary choice to MKE)

💸 Flights from ~$289

Fort Wayne International (FWA)

Fort Wayne International provides stable regional service and is an alternative for southeastern Chicago suburbs.

📍 ~230 km from Chicago (significant distance from Chicago and limited flight frequency)

💸 Flights from ~$269

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Chicago

43% AI deal score

$423

From STL

Elite

Jun 24

Chicago, United States

43% AI deal score

Chicago, United States

28% AI deal score

$2,513

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Chicago

Historically, the best time to purchase tickets for flights from St. Louis to Chicago is typically 14-27 days before departure. During this window, the average price for a ticket is around $246. Prices tend to be higher if booked closer to the travel date, with tickets purchased 7-13 days out averaging $625, and those within 0-6 days averaging $468. Planning ahead by at least two weeks can lead to significant savings on this route.

Across the trailing quarter, a flight from St. Louis to Chicago is considered a good deal if it is priced at or below $207. The median price for this route over the same period was $326. Prices can go as high as $621 or more, so finding a fare below the $207 threshold indicates a favorable offer. This benchmark can help travelers identify when they are getting a competitive price.

Historically, January and February are typically the cheapest months to fly from St. Louis to Chicago, both with a median price of $169. May also offers a relatively good value with a median price of $249. The annual median price for this route is $326, indicating that these months provide opportunities for savings. Travelers looking for lower fares may consider planning their trips during these periods.

Related routes

Consider alternative routes from St. Louis

Flights from St. Louis to Amsterdam Flights from St. Louis to Athens Flights from St. Louis to Atlanta Flights from St. Louis to Auckland Flights from St. Louis to Barcelona Flights from St. Louis to Beijing Flights from St. Louis to Belfast Flights from St. Louis to Berlin Flights from St. Louis to Canberra Flights from St. Louis to Cancún Flights from St. Louis to Copenhagen Flights from St. Louis to Denver