FlightsFrom Washington, D.C.

To Chicago

Cheap Flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago

Browse current best options from Washington, D.C.. Become a member to unlock all deals and get alerts when new deals appear.

Deals from

Washington, D.C.

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Prices updated 5 days ago

402 airlines compared

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Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated Jul 12, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from Washington, D.C. to Chicago

Explore current cheapest deals departing from Washington, D.C. to Chicago

September 10 - September 17

Cheapest

BWI - Chicago

$104

$62

Round trip

October 15 - October 28

BWI - Chicago

$106

$65

Round trip

August 24 - August 27

Best

BWI - Chicago

$139

$66

Round trip

August 20 - August 24

Best
Earliest

BWI - Chicago

$140

$66

Round trip

October 10 - October 14

BWI - Chicago

$123

$66

Round trip

September 24 - October 1

BWI - Chicago

$105

$66

Round trip

September 10 - October 1

BWI - Chicago

$89

$66

Round trip

October 10 - November 5

BWI - Chicago

$100

$67

Round trip

October 15 - October 29

BWI - Chicago

$106

$67

Round trip

October 17 - November 5

BWI - Chicago

$106

$67

Round trip

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

Washington, D.C. to Chicago: Overview

Insights for flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago

For travelers seeking cheap flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago, October stands out as the most affordable month, with a median fare of $132. Following closely, January offers a median fare of $149, and February presents a median of $185. These months typically provide the best value for this route.
Fares for flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago typically range from $257 to $735, with a median price of $458. Right now, current fares are below the typical level for this route. Approximately 12% of recent fares have been classified as a good price, indicating that competitive deals do appear regularly.
When flying from Washington, D.C. to Chicago, 40% of recent itineraries are non-stop, meaning a meaningful share are non-stop, the rest connect once. For those itineraries that do include connections, the typical number of stopovers is 2.
A typical journey from Washington, D.C. to Chicago takes about 2h 19m, including connections. For direct flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago, the non-stop flight time is also 2h 19m. Connecting itineraries, however, have a significantly longer median duration of 14h 20m.
The distance between Washington, D.C. and Chicago is approximately 981 kilometers. This classifies the route as a short-haul flight, typically involving shorter travel times and fewer in-flight services compared to longer routes.

How much is a round trip from Washington, D.C. to Chicago

Regular price: $83 - $209

Prices for flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for this route is $83 to $209. The current lowest deal is $65 with Frontier Airlines for travel from Sep 10-Sep 17.

now $65

Low $83

High $209

The cheapest time to fly from Washington, D.C. to Chicago

The cheapest month to fly from WAS to CHI is January, with a median price of $147. The most expensive month is June, with a median price of $596. Prices are generally lower from January to December.

January

Cheapest

Flights from $147

June

Most Expensive

Flights from $596

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Direct flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago

Airline logo

Frontier Airlines

Airline logo

Southwest Airlines

Last-minute flights going from Washington, D.C. to Chicago

Wed, Jul 22

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - Chicago

Frontier Airlines

Washington, D.C. (IAD) - Chicago (RFD)

Frontier Airlines

$366

$227

One-way

Wed, Aug 5

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - Chicago

Frontier Airlines

Washington, D.C. (IAD) - Chicago (RFD)

Frontier Airlines

$316

$159

One-way

Wed, Aug 5

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - Chicago

Frontier Airlines

Washington, D.C. (IAD) - Chicago (RFD)

Frontier Airlines

$305

$175

One-way

Thu, Aug 6

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - Chicago

Frontier Airlines

Washington, D.C. (IAD) - Chicago (MDW)

Frontier Airlines

$321

$175

One-way

Tue, Aug 11

⌛ Last-Minute

BWI - Chicago

Frontier Airlines

Washington, D.C. (BWI) - Chicago (ORD)

Frontier Airlines

$226

$124

One-way

Wed, Aug 12

⌛ Last-Minute

IAD - Chicago

Frontier Airlines

Washington, D.C. (IAD) - Chicago (RFD)

Frontier Airlines

$303

$162

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago

3 nights

Aug 1 - Aug 4

$325  →  $177

46%

4 nights

Aug 1 - Aug 5

$325  →  $177

46%

3 nights

Aug 5 - Aug 8

$325  →  $177

46%

3 nights

Oct 25 - Oct 28

$316  →  $169

47%

Popular Airports to fly from Washington, D.C. to Chicago

Washington, D.C. - Chicago route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are below the typical level

Recent fares from Washington, D.C. to Chicago are below the typical level at $65.

📅 Best time to fly

October is historically the cheapest month to fly

Historically, October is the cheapest month to fly from Washington, D.C. to Chicago, with a median price of $132.

⏱️ Flight duration

Direct flights take 2h 19m

Direct flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago typically take 2h 19m.

✈️ Airlines & availability

40% of recent fares are direct

40% of recent fares for this route are direct, with connecting flights having 2 stopovers.

🏆 Airline highlight

Frontier Airlines offers direct flights

Frontier Airlines is one of the airlines offering direct flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago.

🎯 Booking tip

Deals appear frequently

Deals for flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago appear frequently.

Washington, D.C. main airports to depart from

Baltimore–Washington International (BWI)

Cheapest

Baltimore–Washington International is a great option for flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago.

📍 ~44 km from Washington, D.C. (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~$65

Ronald Reagan Washington National (DCA)

Ronald Reagan Washington National is a convenient choice for flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago.

📍 ~6 km from Washington, D.C. (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~$176

Washington Dulles International (IAD)

Washington Dulles International is a good alternative for flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago.

📍 ~36 km from Washington, D.C. (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~$159

Chicago main airports to arrive at

O Hare International (ORD)

Cheapest

O'Hare International Airport is a major hub for flights to Chicago from Washington, D.C.

📍 ~25 km from Chicago city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$65

Chicago Midway International (MDW)

Chicago Midway International Airport offers another convenient option for arriving in Chicago.

📍 ~14 km from Chicago city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$166

Chicago Rockford International (RFD)

Chicago Rockford International Airport is an alternative for reaching the wider Chicago area.

📍 ~126 km from Chicago city center (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$185

Airports nearby Chicago used as alternative

General Mitchell International (MKE)

General Mitchell International offers significant carrier presence and direct flight options for Chicago travelers.

📍 ~135 km from Chicago (reachable by rail or car)

💸 Flights from ~$196

Gerald R. Ford International (GRR)

Gerald R. Ford International provides a robust domestic network with both legacy and low-cost airlines.

📍 ~245 km from Chicago (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$209

Dane County Regional (MSN)

Dane County Regional is a reliable regional hub with efficient operations and good amenities for travelers.

📍 ~200 km from Chicago (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$258

South Bend International (SBN)

Cheapest

South Bend International is the geographically closest alternative, offering convenient access to the Chicago metro area.

📍 ~130 km from Chicago (reachable by rail)

💸 Flights from ~$158

Fort Wayne International (FWA)

Fort Wayne International offers multiple cabin classes and solid connectivity for eastern domestic destinations.

📍 ~230 km from Chicago (reachable by car)

💸 Flights from ~$240

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Chicago

Discover luxury on the budget with premium cabin class on flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago.

Elite

Best Elite deals to Chicago

Exclusive daily First Class, Business Class, and Premium Economy flight deals, refreshed every 24 hours.

From DCA

Elite

Aug 31

Chicago, United States

80% AI deal score

$4,672

$1,962

Save $2,710

From DCA

Elite

Dec 03

Chicago, United States

80% AI deal score

$1,237

$423

Save $814

From DCA

Elite

Aug 31

Chicago, United States

79% AI deal score

$4,268

$1,957

Save $2,311

From DCA

Elite

Aug 31

Chicago, United States

79% AI deal score

$4,271

$1,962

Save $2,309

From DCA

Elite

Aug 31

Chicago, United States

79% AI deal score

$4,703

$2,111

Save $2,592

From DCA

Elite

Aug 31

Chicago, United States

78% AI deal score

$4,013

$1,962

Save $2,051

From DCA

Elite

Aug 31

Chicago, United States

78% AI deal score

$4,014

$1,962

Save $2,052

From DCA

Elite

Aug 31

Chicago, United States

78% AI deal score

$4,013

$1,962

Save $2,051

From DCA

Elite

Aug 31

Chicago, United States

78% AI deal score

$4,013

$1,962

Save $2,051

From DCA

Elite

Aug 13

Chicago, United States

78% AI deal score

$1,194

$602

Save $592

From DCA

Elite

Dec 03

Chicago, United States

78% AI deal score

$1,230

$464

Save $766

From DCA

Elite

Dec 04

Chicago, United States

78% AI deal score

$1,237

$464

Save $773

From DCA

Elite

Jul 11

Chicago, United States

77% AI deal score

$1,627

$847

Save $780

From DCA

Elite

Jul 14

Chicago, United States

77% AI deal score

$1,617

$847

Save $770

From DCA

Elite

Jul 14

Chicago, United States

77% AI deal score

$1,619

$872

Save $747

From DCA

Elite

Aug 04

Chicago, United States

77% AI deal score

$1,371

$545

Save $826

From DCA

Elite

Nov 08

Chicago, United States

76% AI deal score

$1,205

$668

Save $537

From DCA

Elite

Jul 08

Chicago, United States

76% AI deal score

$1,463

$850

Save $613

From DCA

Elite

Jul 12

Chicago, United States

76% AI deal score

$1,405

$874

Save $531

From DCA

Elite

Aug 03

Chicago, United States

76% AI deal score

$1,629

$882

Save $747

From DCA

Elite

Aug 04

Chicago, United States

76% AI deal score

$1,629

$904

Save $725

From IAD

Elite

Aug 10

Chicago, United States

75% AI deal score

$689

$511

Save $178

From DCA

Elite

Aug 25

Chicago, United States

75% AI deal score

$1,580

$693

Save $887

From DCA

Elite

Oct 03

Chicago, United States

75% AI deal score

$1,146

$693

Save $453

From DCA

Elite

Aug 14

Chicago, United States

75% AI deal score

$1,599

$939

Save $660

From DCA

Elite

Jul 05

Chicago, United States

75% AI deal score

$1,887

$1,083

Save $804

From DCA

Elite

Jul 05

Chicago, United States

75% AI deal score

$1,865

$1,083

Save $782

From DCA

Elite

Dec 03

Chicago, United States

75% AI deal score

$1,223

$564

Save $659

From DCA

Elite

Dec 04

Chicago, United States

75% AI deal score

$1,230

$564

Save $666

From DCA

Elite

Jul 14

Chicago, United States

75% AI deal score

$1,265

$611

Save $654

From DCA

Elite

Aug 10

Chicago, United States

74% AI deal score

$663

$511

Save $152

From DCA

Elite

Sep 12

Chicago, United States

74% AI deal score

$1,020

$611

Save $409

From DCA

Elite

Oct 26

Chicago, United States

74% AI deal score

$1,145

$718

Save $427

From DCA

Elite

Aug 23

Chicago, United States

74% AI deal score

$1,572

$724

Save $848

From DCA

Elite

Jul 14

Chicago, United States

74% AI deal score

$1,564

$745

Save $819

From DCA

Elite

Aug 09

Chicago, United States

74% AI deal score

$1,645

$762

Save $883

From DCA

Elite

Jul 09

Chicago, United States

74% AI deal score

$1,325

$797

Save $528

From DCA

Elite

Jul 29

Chicago, United States

74% AI deal score

$1,328

$833

Save $495

From DCA

Elite

Jul 15

Chicago, United States

74% AI deal score

$1,266

$632

Save $634

From DCA

Elite

Dec 04

Chicago, United States

73% AI deal score

$1,226

$782

Save $444

From DCA

Elite

Jul 08

Chicago, United States

73% AI deal score

$1,470

$993

Save $477

From DCA

Elite

Jul 06

Chicago, United States

73% AI deal score

$1,885

$1,183

Save $702

From DCA

Elite

Aug 05

Chicago, United States

72% AI deal score

$1,592

$1,076

Save $516

From DCA

Elite

Jul 11

Chicago, United States

72% AI deal score

$1,644

$1,083

Save $561

From DCA

Elite

Jul 06

Chicago, United States

72% AI deal score

$1,823

$1,208

Save $615

From DCA

Elite

Jul 04

Chicago, United States

72% AI deal score

$1,885

$1,229

Save $656

From IAD

Elite

Aug 19

Chicago, United States

72% AI deal score

$1,654

$1,133

Save $521

From DCA

Elite

Aug 26

Chicago, United States

71% AI deal score

$930

$689

Save $241

From DCA

Elite

Oct 03

Chicago, United States

71% AI deal score

$1,186

$838

Save $348

From DCA

Elite

Jul 29

Chicago, United States

71% AI deal score

$1,108

$872

Save $236

From DCA

Elite

Jul 21

Chicago, United States

71% AI deal score

$1,392

$996

Save $396

From DCA

Elite

Aug 04

Chicago, United States

71% AI deal score

$1,537

$1,076

Save $461

From DCA

Elite

Aug 27

Chicago, United States

71% AI deal score

$1,523

$1,081

Save $442

From DCA

Elite

Aug 14

Chicago, United States

71% AI deal score

$1,619

$1,119

Save $500

From DCA

Elite

Oct 02

Chicago, United States

70% AI deal score

$1,178

$872

Save $306

From DCA

Elite

Aug 27

Chicago, United States

70% AI deal score

$1,557

$1,099

Save $458

From IAD

Elite

Aug 25

Chicago, United States

68% AI deal score

$1,591

$1,133

Save $458

From DCA

Elite

Sep 08

Chicago, United States

67% AI deal score

$2,743

$1,957

Save $786

From DCA

Elite

Sep 24

Chicago, United States

67% AI deal score

$2,826

$1,960

Save $866

From DCA

Elite

Sep 27

Chicago, United States

67% AI deal score

$2,845

$1,962

Save $883

From DCA

Elite

Sep 25

Chicago, United States

67% AI deal score

$2,826

$1,962

Save $864

From DCA

Elite

Sep 03

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,521

$1,957

Save $564

From DCA

Elite

Sep 07

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,648

$1,957

Save $691

From DCA

Elite

Sep 04

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,513

$1,957

Save $556

From DCA

Elite

Sep 01

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,518

$1,957

Save $561

From DCA

Elite

Sep 05

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,541

$1,957

Save $584

From DCA

Elite

Sep 17

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,513

$1,959

Save $554

From DCA

Elite

Sep 18

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,529

$1,959

Save $570

From DCA

Elite

Sep 24

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,728

$1,959

Save $769

From DCA

Elite

Sep 18

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,556

$1,960

Save $596

From DCA

Elite

Sep 18

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,525

$1,960

Save $565

From DCA

Elite

Sep 24

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,622

$1,960

Save $662

From DCA

Elite

Sep 17

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,519

$1,960

Save $559

From DCA

Elite

Sep 18

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,530

$1,960

Save $570

From DCA

Elite

Sep 17

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,510

$1,960

Save $550

From DCA

Elite

Sep 20

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,599

$1,962

Save $637

From DCA

Elite

Sep 22

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,666

$1,962

Save $704

From DCA

Elite

Sep 20

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,728

$1,962

Save $766

From DCA

Elite

Sep 22

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,622

$1,962

Save $660

From DCA

Elite

Sep 20

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,603

$1,962

Save $641

From DCA

Elite

Sep 25

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,666

$1,962

Save $704

From DCA

Elite

Sep 26

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,747

$1,962

Save $785

From DCA

Elite

Sep 20

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,591

$1,962

Save $629

From DCA

Elite

Sep 22

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,607

$1,962

Save $645

From DCA

Elite

Sep 04

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,584

$1,962

Save $622

From DCA

Elite

Sep 03

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,542

$1,962

Save $580

From DCA

Elite

Sep 19

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,599

$1,994

Save $605

From DCA

Elite

Sep 22

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,844

$2,111

Save $733

From BWI

Elite

Aug 30

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$2,673

$2,129

Save $544

From DCA

Elite

Nov 03

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$597

$545

Save $52

From DCA

Elite

Nov 02

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$597

$545

Save $52

From IAD

Elite

Dec 05

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$605

$545

Save $60

From DCA

Elite

Oct 29

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$605

$545

Save $60

From IAD

Elite

Aug 26

Chicago, United States

66% AI deal score

$615

$545

Save $70

From DCA

Elite

Sep 17

Chicago, United States

65% AI deal score

$2,500

$1,960

Save $540

From DCA

Elite

Sep 04

Chicago, United States

65% AI deal score

$2,420

$1,962

Save $458

From DCA

Elite

Sep 03

Chicago, United States

65% AI deal score

$2,424

$1,962

Save $462

From DCA

Elite

Sep 07

Chicago, United States

65% AI deal score

$2,415

$1,962

Save $453

From DCA

Elite

Sep 08

Chicago, United States

65% AI deal score

$2,449

$1,962

Save $487

From DCA

Elite

Sep 03

Chicago, United States

65% AI deal score

$2,424

$1,962

Save $462

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Chicago

Historically, booking flights from Washington, D.C. to Chicago 60+ days in advance typically yields the lowest prices. Across the trailing quarter, the average price for flights booked within this window was $325. In contrast, booking 0-6 days before departure saw average prices rise to $873. For optimal savings, consider securing your tickets well over two months ahead of your planned travel date.

Based on historical data from the trailing 90 days, a good price for a flight from Washington, D.C. to Chicago is considered to be around $257 or less. The median price for this route was $458 during the same period. Prices can vary, with 75% of fares being $735 or less, indicating that deals below the $257 threshold represent significant savings.

Historically, October has been the cheapest month to fly from Washington, D.C. to Chicago, with a median price of $132. January also offers competitive fares, with a median price of $149. These months tend to be significantly more affordable than the annual median price of $458 for this route, based on data from the trailing 270 days.