CHI - CAE

$86 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Columbia

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 Columbia departing on 4/27. 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, 0 bags

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Columbia

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to Columbia, as well as popular online travel agencies
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to Columbia, as well as popular online travel agencies
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41,299,237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$197
Typical prices: $376-$269
Multiple Airlines
Fri 5/1Mon 5/4
ORD - CAE • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$269
Typical prices: $614-$329
American Airlines
Wed 5/27Sat 5/30
ORD - CAE • Non-stop
Advice from real travelers
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
United's Economy Plus offers extra legroom benefits.
American Airlines' Main Cabin Extra includes early boarding.
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $269 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 7.9 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with American Airlines and United Airlines. Average duration is 2h 09m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top routes
Cheapest
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $228 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 4h 23m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 5 weeks in advance save around 35% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 33% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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Good to know
Good to know
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We hope you love your trip to Columbia!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Expert advice
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Chicago to Columbia (CHI-CAE)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Chicago to Columbia 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 Columbia

Fri, May 1 - Mon, May 4
Multiple Airlines Logo
5:05 am - 5:52 pm
ORD
-
CAE
11h 47m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:42 pm - 11:15 pm
CAE
-
ORD
29h 33m
1 stop
$197Multiple Airlines
Fri, May 1 - Mon, May 4
Multiple Airlines Logo
5:05 am - 5:52 pm
ORD
-
CAE
11h 47m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:42 pm - 7:55 am
CAE
-
ORD
38h 13m
2 stops
$222Multiple Airlines
Wed, May 27 - Sat, May 30
American Airlines Logo
7:42 pm - 10:53 pm
ORD
-
CAE
2h 11mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 7:22 am
CAE
-
ORD
2h 22mnonstop
$269American Airlines
Wed, May 27 - Sat, May 30
American Airlines Logo
1:32 pm - 4:42 pm
ORD
-
CAE
2h 10mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
7:21 pm - 12:42 am
CAE
-
ORD
6h 21m
1 stop
$279American Airlines
Sat, Aug 29 - Sat, Sep 5
Delta Logo
5:30 am - 12:28 pm
ORD
-
CAE
5h 58m
1 stop
Delta Logo
5:10 pm - 8:17 pm
CAE
-
ORD
4h 07m
1 stop
$289Delta
Tue, May 19 - Sat, May 23
United Airlines Logo
4:25 pm - 11:59 pm
ORD
-
CAE
6h 34m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
6:25 am - 7:52 am
CAE
-
ORD
2h 27mnonstop
$290United Airlines
Fri, May 1 - Fri, May 8
United Airlines Logo
6:45 am - 9:48 am
ORD
-
CAE
2h 03mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
7:38 pm - 11:44 pm
CAE
-
ORD
5h 06m
1 stop
$299United Airlines
Thu, Jul 16 - Sun, Jul 19
United Airlines Logo
6:30 am - 2:16 pm
ORD
-
CAE
6h 46m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
7:45 pm - 11:26 pm
CAE
-
ORD
4h 41m
1 stop
$300United Airlines
Wed, May 6 - Wed, May 13
United Airlines Logo
10:30 am - 1:41 pm
ORD
-
CAE
2h 11mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
2:20 pm - 3:50 pm
CAE
-
ORD
2h 30mnonstop
$305United Airlines
Thu, Apr 30 - Sun, May 3
Delta Logo
5:15 am - 11:29 am
ORD
-
CAE
5h 14m
1 stop
Delta Logo
5:38 am - 8:37 am
CAE
-
ORD
3h 59m
1 stop
$309Delta
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Chicago to Columbia flights

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

How much is a round-trip flight from Chicago to Columbia?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Chicago to Columbia departing in May.

What is the cheapest Chicago to Columbia flight route?

Data is based on round-trip flight searches on KAYAK over the past month.

The cheapest return flight from Chicago to Columbia costs $249 on the route between Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) and Columbia (CAE). It is also the most popular route.

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

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

If you are looking for a flight deal from Chicago to Columbia, look for departures on Saturdays and avoid leaving on a Monday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from Columbia, Thursday is the cheapest day to fly and Monday is the most expensive.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago to Columbia, 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 Columbia is January, where tickets cost $249 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are May and February, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $508 and $481 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Chicago to Columbia?

The average round-trip price for all non-stop flights, flights with one layover, and flights with two layovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

No, with an average price for the route of $381, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

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 Columbia, 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 Columbia, you should book around 5 weeks before departure, which saves you about 35% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 18 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Chicago to Columbia

 
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Our travel experts
Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on United Airlines

Stefanie Waldek is a freelance space, travel, and design writer based in Saratoga Springs, NY. Her words have appeared in Space.com, Travel + Leisure, Condé Nast Traveler, Architectural Digest, and House Beautiful, among other publications. An expert in aviation and expedition cruising, Stefanie is frequently up in the air or on the sea, likely en route to Antarctica or the Arctic.

Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Expert on American Airlines

Harriet is an award-winning journalist who is happiest in an airport or an unusual museum. Her stories about airports, air travel, and the business of travel have appeared on NBC News, CNBC, USA TODAY, The Points Guy and other outlets. She is the creator of the StuckatTheAirport.com blog and the author of nine books. When not out on the road or exploring the latest airport amenities, she’s home in Seattle getting ready for the next adventure.

Good to know

Low seasonAugust
Cheapest flight$86
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 18% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 3% lower on average.
Flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Columbia

When to book flights from Chicago to Columbia

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Chicago to Columbia based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking flights from Chicago to Columbia

  • What is the cheapest flight from Chicago to Columbia?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Chicago to Columbia was $86 for a one-way ticket and $197 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Chicago and Columbia?

    No

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Chicago to Columbia?

    On your way to Columbia, you’ll fly out from one of these Chicago airports: Chicago Midway or Chicago O'Hare Intl. You’ll be landing at Columbia Metropolitan.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Chicago to Columbia?

    Only American Airlines offers inflight Wi-Fi service on the Chicago to Columbia flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Chicago to Columbia?

    The Canadair (Bombardier) Regional Jet CRJ-550 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Chicago to Columbia flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Chicago to Columbia?

    SkyTeam, oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Chicago and Columbia, with SkyTeam being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Chicago to Columbia?

    There are nonstop flights from Chicago to Columbia on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Chicago to Columbia, Delta or United Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Chicago to Columbia are Delta and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $228 and an overall rating of 7.9, Delta is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $377 and an overall rating of 7.4.

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

    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 Columbia.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Columbia from Chicago 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 Columbia?

    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 to Columbia with an airline and back to Chicago with another airline.

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

    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 to Columbia from Chicago up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Chicago to Columbia

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $287 or less one-way and $324 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Chicago to Columbia?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from Chicago to Columbia Metropolitan.
Find which airlines fly direct from Chicago to Columbia Metropolitan Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Chicago to Columbia Metropolitan

Monday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Friday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Columbia Metropolitan to Chicago

Monday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Friday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines,United Airlines

American Airlines,United Airlines

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 3 airlines serving from Chicago to Columbia

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Chicago to Columbia. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Chicago to Columbia? 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.
7.9
DeltaOverall score based on 8406 reviews
7.8Entertainment
8.1Boarding
7.2Food
8.5Crew
7.9Comfort
Airline reviews

No entertainment. Plane was so small had to pink tag a carry on ive used for 20 years easily on board. The fact the flight got in at midnight, had to wait for crew in fort wayne to allow the plane to approach the gate, THEN had to wait for bag on jet bridge made experience irritating at best.

4.0 OkayRay, Apr 2026
ATL - FWA
Read more Delta reviews

No entertainment. Plane was so small had to pink tag a carry on ive used for 20 years easily on board. The fact the flight got in at midnight, had to wait for crew in fort wayne to allow the plane to approach the gate, THEN had to wait for bag on jet bridge made experience irritating at best.

Crew was great. Near on time departure and early arrival. Snacks are always meh. Not a fan of the "pay for everything including miles " proposal unless base flight rate going to be 100 bucks.

Would have been better if there was a nonstop flight from Tampa to Norfolk or Tampa to New Port News.

Overall Good! The weather delayed our takeoff from Atlanta and our arrival in Miami! If Mother Nature can mess up a flight she will do it every time!

The flight was smooth, the crew was great but the plane was quite old

Everything was great until I lost my water bottle and they can’t seem to locate it. I know I left it on the plane though.

WiFi didn’t work most of the time. The usb chargers would work only occasionally for 5 mins and wouldn’t charge after that. Had to keep trying repeatedly at each of the seats in the row.

The crew bent over backwards to thank us for flying and make us comfortable. The food service was quick and efficient. The Captain communicated and said goodbye and thank you as we departed. They really stood out!

Okay considering we had weather delays which the Pilot notified us of immediately!

Generally on time departures and arrivals, clean planes, sky miles membership provides great benefits (complimentary upgrades, etc).

Poor communication, flight was delayed for preventable reasons. I missed my connection.

No meal service to the back of the plane as it started late or was too slow to get it out before it was time to land.

Terrible, if possible won't be flying again anytime soon!

Efficient boarding and early departure. Very smooth flight. Early arrival in ATL. Great flight.

Smooth and easy boarding, comfortable for the entire 5 hour flight, and the seat back entertainment was great! I appreciated all the features, from location info and maps, movies, the ability to connect with Bluetooth headphones, and good selection of movies. Food was good, normal airline snacks (I didn’t purchase anything)

Awful. No counter attendants. No dinner offered due to delays.

This trip did not start off well. The inbound flight was delayed about 20 minutes. Then, after initial onboarding, the passengers had to deplane due to a mechanical problem. That took about 30 minutes to fix and be cleared. Then, reboarding was chaotic. It took a long time to sort passengers and two passengers on standby were ticketed but there was no seat. So, they had to deplane. One of the flight crew was trying to help passengers figure out a place to put their carry-on bags and that took more time. In the end, our scheduled 10:30 am departure did not actually take off until about 12:05 pm CST. The flight itself was long but we got to Houston. Some passengers missed their connecting flights and had to rebook. Not the best of flights I've had.

We were delayed for about an hour from taking off due to traffic control procedures at the destination airport. But once in the air, the flight went well. The crew members were great and provided cabin service despite moderate turbulence during much of the flight.

Short flight, but no drink/snack service. The flights both going and coming were delayed.

Not being stranded in Chicago for her airport to 11:30 tomorrow morning the 3rd

Delays experienced in boarding/take off due to incoming plane delayed. However, the boarding time/depart time in the app was significantly delayed in providing these updates. Usually not updated until an hour after we should have already boarded. Poorly managed.

Moved to earlier flight which unexpectedly had maintenance issues initially indicated as quick fix to ultimately plane changes. Moved back to original flight, also delayed. In all cases customer updates and communication very unclear, no updates on drivers for delays.

Typical AA - late by 90+ mn. Gate changed twice... Changed the departure time 6 times No explanation, no communication on reasons for delay I travel with AA twice a year... and it is consistently very poor.. I will continue to use AA only when i have to.

The gate got changed several times and the flight was delayed over an hour. Awful experience

American continues to decline in their customer service and its beyond disappointing.

It was an older plane. First Class was not especially roomy or comfortable. It was a short flight so there were no meal but they did offer mixed nuts which used to be normal but now is rare. Crew member was very polite and professional.

Flight to Tampa was delayed taking off due to plane arriving late but no other issues

As previously stated the delay I experienced flying from Wichita to Chicago caused a host of issues. When I finally was able to be booked on the last remaining American flight from Chicago to Cincinnati, the gate changed four times with the last change occurring very near the scheduled boarding time. While I didn't have a problem moving from gate to gate, I did notice and make note of others that had mobility issues and had to move each time for the gate change.

Maintenance took a very long time and then we were in a holding pattern. While a one-off maintenance issue is standard, there were delays on both of my flights for this trip based on maintenance issues with the planes, which delayed both flights over 45 minutes. Thankfully, I didn't have any connections but it wasn't an experience that would make me pick AA if I have other options.

No Snacks or Entertainment. The flight was short, snacks should still be given.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports