$453 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Australia

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Chicago to Australia departing on 9/9. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy

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Best Australia Flight Deals from Chicago

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 72 hours
Sydney
Sydney1 stop$880
Proserpine
Proserpine2 stops$1,994
Sydney
Sydney1 stop$880
Proserpine
Proserpine2 stops$1,994

Cheap Flights from Chicago to Australia

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Chicago to Australia that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Chicago to Australia

Tue, Aug 19 - Tue, Aug 26
American Airlines Logo
11:45 am - 7:05 amORD-SYD
28h 20m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
9:10 am - 6:36 pmSYD-ORD
24h 26m1 stop
$880American Airlines
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Tue, Aug 19 - Tue, Aug 26
American Airlines Logo
11:45 am - 7:05 amORD-SYD
28h 20m1 stop
American Airlines Logo
9:10 am - 3:47 pmSYD-ORD
21h 37m2 stops
$884American Airlines
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Mon, Nov 17 - Wed, Dec 3
Qantas Airways Logo
1:23 pm - 9:30 amORD-MEL
27h 07m1 stop
Qantas Airways Logo
12:00 pm - 11:59 pmMEL-ORD
28h 59m1 stop
$1,283Qantas Airways
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Sat, Nov 22 - Wed, Dec 3
Qantas Airways Logo
4:02 pm - 5:00 amORD-MEL
43h 58m1 stop
Qantas Airways Logo
12:00 pm - 4:00 pmMEL-ORD
21h 00m1 stop
$1,291Qantas Airways
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Tue, Sep 16 - Mon, Sep 29
Air Canada Logo
3:40 pm - 6:30 pmORD-CBR
35h 50m2 stops
Air Canada Logo
6:20 am - 3:00 pmCBR-ORD
23h 40m2 stops
$1,436Air Canada
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Tue, Sep 16 - Mon, Sep 29
Air Canada Logo
3:40 pm - 6:30 pmORD-CBR
35h 50m2 stops
Air Canada Logo
7:05 pm - 7:29 pmCBR-ORD
39h 24m3 stops
$1,447Air Canada
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Mon, Dec 8 - Sun, Dec 21
Delta Logo
1:00 pm - 8:00 amMDW-MEL
26h 00m2 stops
Delta Logo
10:10 am - 10:05 pmMEL-MDW
28h 55m2 stops
$1,465Delta
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Tue, Sep 2 - Wed, Sep 24
Delta Logo
9:15 am - 6:35 amMDW-SYD
30h 20m2 stops
Delta Logo
9:25 am - 5:35 pmSYD-MDW
23h 10m2 stops
$1,465Delta
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Sat, Aug 23 - Sat, Aug 30
United Airlines Logo
4:30 pm - 1:35 pmORD-CBR
30h 05m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
7:15 am - 11:12 pmCBR-ORD
30h 57m2 stops
$2,005United Airlines
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Fri, Aug 22 - Fri, Aug 29
United Airlines Logo
10:49 am - 1:35 pmORD-CBR
35h 46m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
7:15 am - 5:08 pmCBR-ORD
24h 53m2 stops
$2,006United Airlines
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KAYAK's insights & trends for Chicago to Australia flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Chicago to Australia to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Chicago to Australia?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago to Australia, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from Chicago to Australia is August, when tickets cost $863 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and September, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,527 and $1,307 respectively.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Chicago to Australia?

The average price of all round-trip flights from Chicago to Australia clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

When flying from Chicago to Australia, you should consider leaving on a Saturday and avoid Thursdays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to Chicago, you’ll find the best rates on Mondays and the most expensive ones on Sundays.

How far in advance should I book a flight from Chicago to Australia?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago to Australia, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from Chicago to Australia, you should book around 4 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 26 weeks before departure.


Good to know

Low seasonApril
High seasonDecember
Cheapest flight$453
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 15% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 41% increase in price.
Flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Sydney

FAQs - booking Australia flights

  • As a U.S. citizen, do I need a visa to travel to Australia?

    Yes, U.S. citizens need to obtain a tourist visa prior to flying to Australia. This visa is an Electronic Travel Authority that can be applied for online with a small fee. The approval process for an ETA can take up to about one day and you can expect to pay around 20 AUD (15 USD) for this service.

  • Are there non-stop flights from Chicago to Australia?

    Currently, there aren’t any available direct flights between Chicago and Australia. However, Air Canada and Qantas both offer routes with just one layover in either Vancouver or Los Angeles. These flights depart from Chicago O’Hare International Airport and arrive at both Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) and Brisbane International Airport (BNE).

  • Which is the best airport to fly into to go to the Great Barrier Reef?

    The Great Barrier Reef in east Australia is the world’s largest coral reef that attracts plenty of divers from all over. The closest international airport to the Great Barrier Reef is the one in Cairns. However, there are more flight options from Chicago to the city of Brisbane. From there, travelers can take a domestic flight to Hamilton Island or a ferry to see the Great Barrier Reef.

  • Is there public transportation from Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport to the city center?

    Yes, there is public transportation operating from the main Australian airport in Sydney to the city center. Travelers can hop on the AirportLink T8 train that stops at the international terminal and connects with the city loop route. The trip takes under half an hour and you can expect to pay about 20 AUD (15 USD).

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Chicago to Australia?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Chicago to Australia.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Chicago to Australia?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from Chicago to Australia is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Chicago to Australia?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly from Chicago to Australia with an airline and back with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Chicago to Australia?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying from Chicago to Australia up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Australia?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to Australia is generally in the evening, when round-trip flights cost $1,185 on average. On average, there is no price difference when choosing to fly in the morning or the evening on this flight route. The most expensive time of day to fly to Australia is generally at night, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $1,417.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Australia

  • For more options, and generally more affordable airfares, consider booking flights from Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) to the main hub in Australia, Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD). From here, you’ll be near Australia’s most iconic site, the Sydney Opera House.
  • Long-haul flights like the one from Chicago to Australia can be stressful. Relax or blow off some steam before boarding your flight out of Chicago O’Hare International Airport. The airport offers a couple amenities, such as a yoga room, as well as a health club with a fitness center and a pool.
  • When traveling to Australia from Chicago, you’ll need to exchange some of your USD into Australian dollars (AUD). You can do this at currency exchange desks at Australia’s main international airports like Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) and Brisbane International Airport (BNE).
  • In Australia, children under the age of seven need to be in an approved child seat restraint in any vehicle. Under the age of four, the child seat must be rear-facing. If you’re planning on renting a car, you can check beforehand to see if the agency provides child seats.
  • If you’re traveling to Australia with a pet or a service animal, there are pet relief areas located throughout the Chicago O’Hare International Airport for your four-legged friend to go to the bathroom before the long flight.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Chicago to Australia

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Chicago to Australia? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8.0
DeltaOverall score based on 7951 reviews
7.3Food
8.5Crew
7.9Entertainment
8.2Boarding
7.9Comfort
Airline reviews

Very late arrival at PWM. Late jet getting to ATL. Equipment problem with aircraft - could not get enough water onto plane., Another delay getting FAA approval for flight with bottled H2O. Not the crew’s problem.

4.0 OkayJames, Jul 2025MSN - ATL
Read more Delta reviews

Very late arrival at PWM. Late jet getting to ATL. Equipment problem with aircraft - could not get enough water onto plane., Another delay getting FAA approval for flight with bottled H2O. Not the crew’s problem.

Everything was fine except the entertainment was not working for half of the flight.

Easy boarding with an extremely kind attendant. Seats were spacious and we had 3 seats for 2 people so we could stretch out. Comfortable air flow and very attentive and hospital attendants. Bathrooms and food were the only negative. Bathrooms were so small you could hardly get in and close the door. I don’t think an obese person would fit or a person with a movement disability. Food was the trending food for flights, nonexistent. We spent $40 getting sandwich and snack at airport for our 6 hour flught.

At first, we were on the runway for about an hour, literally. The Captain did explain that the Control Tower just had a change shift (sounds like an unrealistic excuse) and then that we had to change a runway. A regular economy seat is made for 12 yo twiggy. I understand Delta wants to push for an upgrade, but after sitting in a Comfort seat and in First class. I would say First class is not worthy of my money. The landing was delayed because of the weather in NYC, I don't hold that against Delta, of course. The Captain did alert us to that upon takeoff in Vegas and again as we reached NY.

No one fussed at me about my pap machine as a 3rd pice on the plane. Boarding was pleasant and smooth. The boarding agent in Anchorage was a fun character- he could be in a movie. :~) The on-board crew were downright pleasant. No militant attitudes on Delta. Like all planes these days the seats are too narrow for standard Americans and at 5’2” there is barely enough leg room. I don’t know how tall people fold themselves into the seats. But that’s nothing specific to Delta

Great. Very smooth. Plenty of information. However, wish they would give out a menu in advance of making a dinner choice like other international airlines. The flight attendant says chicken or pasta and there are details about ingredients or spices requiring the passenger to ask which requires the flight attendant to answer many times. So easy to solve this problem. P

I'm a tall guy and even the seats with more leg room were not as comfortable as I had hoped.

My husband upgraded our seats and I don't know if it was due to the type of planet was or if they didn't upgrade our seats. We were supposed to be in I believe comfort seats and they were just as tight as any other seat- no leg room and we are very tall people but at least it wasn't extremely cold. My husband did put in a complaint about our seating because he paid extra and if we would have known that the space and the tightness would have been the same, we just would have gotten the emergency row emergency row seats that we normally get. We love Delta but both our flights coming home we're not good. Oh I forgot to mention that on our flight to Hawaii our luggage wheels got broke and we had to purse new luggage on vacation then we never had this problem so we didn't know protocol and reported it after we got home only for them to tell is we only had 24hrs to report the damage. Not sure what was going on with Delta this vacation trip.

My flight was extremely cold. I had a jacket and a cover was left in each seat. The cover was extremely thin and I have a disability, fibromyalgia and arthrithis and AC air is the worst. I closed my vent and my husbands vent and it still was frigid. I asked the attendant if I could get another cover and she quickly almost dismissively and totally unconcerned stating, (I quote) (one per chair) and walked off so quickly that I didn't get a chance to explain to her that I literally have adisability. I didnt want to make a seen so I set on that flight for over 5 hours in pain, joints locking up and extremely uncomfortable. When my fibromyalgia flares up my joints not only ache but they will lock up also and it takes me days to get back to my regular self even though I take medication for it. I felt like it would not have hurt anyone at all for her to just give me an extra cover because I'm sure they have all types of medical issues in people that fly every day.

After all the weather issues at least they got me to my destination the next day

The wifi was out. Otherwise it was great flight. Richard, as CSM, was excellent.

Was bumped to a later flight because of inefficiency on part of the airline.

The Emerits/Qantas flight was cancelled to Wellington. We need a refund. Had to buy another airline ticket. How do we get the refund. Still not in Wellington.

Delayed QF59 flight once again, Qantas doesn't fail in maintaining there delayed departures and arrivals. USB points do not work nor do the power point sockets on the plane, Qantas staff admitted that on the flight. Don't expect to your charge devices. Saving grace, was the ice cream. Bottom line, if you expect to fly to HND and make it on time avoid Qantas and if you're interested in ice cream - visit 7/11.

Pretty excellent. I don’t know what the pilot could have done better with the bumping ( there was a storm) nor what happened to my ears coming down into bendigo. It doesn’t happen coming down into Sydney just the return flight. I wonder why?

Loved the staff. The economy seats could have been bigger.

Airport and crew experience was excellent. We had to queue for the runway - no one’s fault, but it did mean we were 30 minutes late leaving

Overall good experience with flight and airport wheelchair staff. Also got Indian food in the flights

I liked the service, the menu, and the comfort of the seats! Even tho we were seated by the bathrooms, the reclining seats and movie selection was very good, my husband and I didn’t mind at all

Very good as always, stand out airline. The passengers whom choose to stuff baggage that otherwise should be checked-in is a real bother but that's not the airlines doing. A real frustration that passengers just don't want to check-in luggage. This is a pet hate unfortunately.

It was great, I’m very grateful for the pilots and crew flight attendants for everything.

Evidently, my seat had the only broken TV. I couldn’t plug it in, get it to come on, or watch anything, and of course, no one could fix it while we were on the plane. The service was good and the boarding was quick

The boarding of took of late.The presentation of the food was horrable as was the tast of the food was cold and tastless.

Delay and keep changing gates. I have to run around from B to C then to E.

I was charged for my daughters bag when I am supposed to receive two free checked bags with my United Explorer card.

The schedule to Moline changed 5 times. The gate changed 6 times. That is a pathetic way to run an airline. No wonder that no one in our company flies on United Express to or from Moline. Changes happen most of the time. I learned my lesson on this trip…never again!

Flight was great. Efficient boarding. Short flight. Early arrival. Friendly flight crew. The entertainment system did not work well. Could not access it until the aircraft reached 10K feet or more. Lots of glitches.

A bit rush for transit. Food and entertainment are not available

Boarding was a little difficult. The gate area at O'Hare was very small and crowded due to multiple gates in the area. Could not hear the intercom, so had to rely on signage to see when my group was boarding and the signage was blocked by passengers standing in the gate. Flight was great and we arrived in Montreal on time.

Smooth boarding process. Early departure, smooth flight, early arrival. The entertainment package has very good recent movie options. The flight crew were friendly and professional.

Amazing food, great staff, with one noticable detail missing ...but no seat entertainment in any of aircraft ...I am not a fan

I wish American Airlines would change the airline industry by loading the plane back to front instead of front to back. Planes would board so much more smoothly and quickly.

I have long legs, my foot was out in the aisle and when a flight attendant came walking by and I didn't notice, instead of saying "excuse me" or anything like that, she kicked my foot. Extremely rude

Excellent! The gate agents were kind enough to rebook me on an earlier flight saving me from a 6 hour layover. Even my luggage made it despite the fact that the connection was technically too narrow. The flight itself was very comfortable, roomy, and clean. Plenty of space for my carryon items with plugs to charge my phone. After a long international flight of 14 hours, this was an excellent way to end my travels!

Great experience. Flight boarded easily. Departed early. Smooth flight. Great arrival in DC--almost no taxing! Almost direct to gate from runway. Crew was terrific. Same cookies and beverages in main cabin. I did not use the entertainment system on this flight.

This particular flight wasn't very full at the back, so there were three seats available for spreading out and getting relatively comfortable

Most of the delay was due to weather which is not what was at issue here. One delay was due to a missing flashlight and in the end the flashlight was actually found on the plane. The entertainment system is very limited. Live TV options offer only a few channels that are not very appealing. Boarding and deplaning are always difficult. It just takes too much time to get on and off the plane. On the plus side, I missed my connecting flight, but was easily able to book a later flight from the app while enroute.

You were more on time than United. I'm so over united delays.

The meals were mediocre and the alcohol selection was poor. I enjoyed the selection of movies and other entertainment.

I chatted with the captain before the flight, and similarly during the welcome announcement, he warned of a turbulent flight that may impact the in-flight service. However, once at altitude, he announced that the weather changed and he immediately turned off the seatbelt sign. But it appeared the cabin crew had already decided to take off this flight. They remained seated and then just chatted in the galley. The flight was fully catered, but only first class received service.

Flight was delayed by 1.5hrs. Once inside, people had their small handbags on the storage. The crew (male guy) was not helpful in making some space in the storage. Instead, he asked few bags to be checked-in and it was not a great experience. No attempt to help but just followed the things with a straight face. People had their literally small bags and he wouldnt not move from one storage to another even if there was space and would not let us do i as well. Once flight was on, they ran out of Orange juice, really running out of orange juice when the temp were 32.degrees outside. didnt made the sense. Onasking for a extra snack, he made a face as if he was giving me out of his pocket. if the flight was delayed, there could have an attempt to provide something extra incase people did asked.

Our flight was canceled at the last minute. Someone on the flight said the exact same thing happened to her the day before. I will say they helped us book a flight on another airline so that we could still make our vacation with little delay.

United had no (zero) record of our flight. It took over an hour of us standing in line with surly employee while others waited to get resolved. I have never experienced such poor service and poor empathy.

We had a very long delay. First the inbound flight took a while, then maintenance, they “fixed it” to then do boarding and leave the gate, and waste a lot of time to have to go back to the gate and eventually deplane. Had to wait for a new aircraft, wait for a gate, and do the whole thing again. Instead of leaving at 9:50am we left until past 1. I could’ve not woken up at 5am, or spend some more time with my family if they gave more grace period of time between flights to give some time in case of any issues. But they have to make all and every dollar possible

Aircraft had technical issues. After 3 hours of trying to resolve, flight was cancelled. Was booked on a flight leaving 12 hours after intended departure. Now on 4 flights instead of 2 and a day late to my destination.

Abandoned me in hallway in a wheelchair… which I asked for because I sprained my back. After waiting in the hallway, I decided to walk the rest of the way since someone respecting me up.. My experience with the united was totally the opposite. Wheelchair access, propped swift and save me a lot of grief. Air Canada totally disorganized.

I am very tall. All airline seats are a bit uncomfortable.

Bad experience boarding and flight got delayed didn’t make it to my next flight

The food on the trip Toronto to Athens could be better: the chicken didn’t taste good.

Terrible confusion btw air Canada and United. Wasn’t able to change ticket because I had purchased on kayak. Rethinking booking tickets on this site, and will try to avoid United and aircanada going forward.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Chicago to Australia

Cabin class types available on flights to Australia

Cabin classes available on flights to Australia. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability is not guaranteed.

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