CHI - CAE

$90 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 3/5. 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
Travelers love KAYAK
41.299.237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$175
Overall average: $444
Multiple Airlines
Sun 4/19Fri 4/24
ORD - CAE • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$209
Typical prices: $479-$608
United Airlines
Sat 4/25Tue 4/28
ORD - CAE • Non-stop
Our travelers' advice
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
United Airlines
Cheapest • from $209 (round-trip)
Delta
Best reviews • 7.9 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Top routes
ORD
-
CAE
Cheapest
ORD
-
CAE
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
3 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 3 weeks in advance save around 29% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
January
Cheapest • 34% price drop
October
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
KAYAK searches 100s of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
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

Sun, Apr 19 - Fri, Apr 24
Multiple Airlines Logo
1:27 pm - 5:52 pm
ORD
-
CAE
27h 25m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:42 pm - 9:17 pm
CAE
-
ORD
27h 35m
1 stop
$175Multiple Airlines
Tue, Mar 3 - Fri, Mar 13
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:51 pm - 2:56 pm
ORD
-
CAE
43h 05m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
5:50 pm - 7:51 pm
CAE
-
ORD
27h 01m
1 stop
$198Multiple Airlines
Fri, Mar 6 - Fri, Mar 13
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:51 pm - 1:56 pm
ORD
-
CAE
42h 05m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
5:50 pm - 7:51 pm
CAE
-
ORD
27h 01m
1 stop
$207Multiple Airlines
Sat, Apr 25 - Tue, Apr 28
United Airlines Logo
11:42 am - 2:49 pm
ORD
-
CAE
2h 07mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
6:30 am - 8:00 am
CAE
-
ORD
2h 30mnonstop
$209United Airlines
Fri, May 1 - Mon, May 4
Multiple Airlines Logo
5:01 am - 5:52 pm
ORD
-
CAE
11h 51m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:42 pm - 9:17 pm
CAE
-
ORD
27h 35m
1 stop
$211Multiple Airlines
Sat, Apr 25 - Tue, Apr 28
United Airlines Logo
11:42 am - 2:49 pm
ORD
-
CAE
2h 07mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
10:50 am - 2:27 pm
CAE
-
ORD
4h 37m
1 stop
$219United Airlines
Thu, Mar 12 - Thu, Mar 19
Delta Logo
5:30 am - 1:27 pm
ORD
-
CAE
6h 57m
1 stop
Delta Logo
6:50 am - 10:00 am
CAE
-
ORD
4h 10m
1 stop
$229Delta
Mon, Apr 13 - Mon, Apr 20
Delta Logo
6:00 am - 11:29 am
MDW
-
CAE
4h 29m
1 stop
Delta Logo
5:47 pm - 10:28 pm
CAE
-
MDW
5h 41m
1 stop
$229Delta
Mon, Apr 13 - Fri, Apr 24
Delta Logo
6:00 am - 11:29 am
MDW
-
CAE
4h 29m
1 stop
Delta Logo
12:15 pm - 4:25 pm
CAE
-
MDW
5h 10m
1 stop
$254Delta
Wed, Apr 1 - Fri, Apr 10
Delta Logo
10:45 am - 3:43 pm
MDW
-
CAE
3h 58m
1 stop
Delta Logo
7:13 pm - 10:31 pm
CAE
-
MDW
4h 18m
1 stop
$274Delta
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 April.

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 $223 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, Wednesday is the cheapest day to fly and Sunday 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 March and April, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $520 and $449 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.

Yes, flying with a layover may cost you more time, but you can also save money on the route, with a 1 stop layover the cheapest option at $314 on average.

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 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 29% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 21 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$90
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 8% drop in price.
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 $90 for a one-way ticket and $175 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 Embraer 175 (Enhanced Winglets) 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 $298 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 $397 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 $246 or less one-way and $309 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

United Airlines

United Airlines

Tuesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Wednesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Thursday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Friday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Saturday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Sunday

United Airlines

United Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Columbia Metropolitan to Chicago

Monday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Tuesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Wednesday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Thursday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Friday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Saturday

United Airlines

United Airlines

Sunday

United 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 8176 reviews
7.8Entertainment
8.1Boarding
8.5Crew
7.9Comfort
7.2Food
Airline reviews

Only freetext wifi was available in flight; browsing WiFi required payment. Since the seats had no in flight entertainment, Delta should revisit this policy on this longer flight.

6.0 GoodEmily, Feb 2026
ATL - DAL
Read more Delta reviews

Only freetext wifi was available in flight; browsing WiFi required payment. Since the seats had no in flight entertainment, Delta should revisit this policy on this longer flight.

Only water, tea or coffee served midflight, even to comfort seating. Man next to me needed two seats and took up a portion of my seat and Delta did nothing.

The flight was great as well as the airline staff

First class and monitors weren’t working for mine & my husbands. Eventually fixed, but quite annoyed as we bought first class. Also, No foot rests.

Prior to takeoff, the pilot told us there was a possibility of not being able to land and going to Portland. Well that happened, we took off and then did 8 loops around Spokane before the pilot told us we ran out of fuel and had to go to Portland. So for a 35 minute flight we have now been on the plane for 3 hours (boarded at 6:50 am and landed in Portland at 10:30). Then, we just sat in Portland's airport with no updates of when we can start heading back. All of a sudden, our pilots and crew just left, leaving us stranded in a different city and state. We continued to sit in Portland until we finally got a new crew assigned and boarded the plane (This was from 10:30-2). We then sat on the plane for an additional hour before take off because they had to count us multiple times. We finally landed in Spokane at 3:55 PM. So a flight that should have taken at max an hour took us 10 hours and we missed the majority of the recruiting event we went for.

It was delayed but other than that it was great.

Got on the plane and sat there for an hour before departure.

Second flight in a row where the entertainment system is broken. 5 hour long flight with no entertainment and flight attendants did not seem interested in resolving the matter. Very shocked to be treated this poorly considering I paid for a first class experience and have Diamond Medallion status.

They double booked seats, the gate staff changed my ticket as I was boarding she went over to the computer and changed it without telling me. She messed up an entire three row section for me and others. Other travelers were outraged but the gate staff were so rude, so condescending saying it wasn't their problem to solve. I would rate this a zero if I could. Will not fly Delta again I'll stick with United and American.

Comfort seating was on the tight side. Maybe it was a smaller plane(?)

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

I was fully checked in the prior night and i was unchecked and then didn’t have a seat when I boarded. Instead of an aisle seat, I was out in the middle seat of the very last row of the plane.

In overall it was a good experience, the only down point was that the entertainment screen was working properly.

They lost my luggage, so, not happy. The crew was nice but my suitcases never made it, still trying to find out what happened!

I understand weather is an issue, but making us chase our plane down at five scheduled gates across three terminals in an airport the size of O'Hare was unfair. They'd have probably been better off to leave gates as TBD until the inbound plane is in final approach instead of running us all over the place. Also, props to the consistently-unprepared ground crew in Richmond for once again leaving my lane parked short of the gate because they couldn't have a crew in place on time with 2 hours notice...

cabin crew was OK, food was OK, the trip from the US to Munich was actually pretty bad comfort wise. Noisy aircraft, lights never dimmed even in Business class (night flight) barely sufficient amenities for the price. I have millions of miles with United but TBH American is gaining ground and Delta has always been marginally better then United although on paper United has more longes and cheaper upgrades.

Essy to get on. The hostess gave very little pop, the plane was late getting in, and we are still waiting for our bags. This sucks. :/

Great flight. On time boarding. Smooth flight and on time arrival at EWR. The flight crew was marvelous and there was a great selection of movies on the entertainment system. Our bags were at the carousel before we got there. Another excellent flight from United.

I liked the snacks and the flight attendants were friendly.

After a delay at the gate, C3, at Ohare on Sunday, I left my Blk ski coat on the bench at the gate, lost! Please review my lob claim, thx.

Delayed an hour due to operational issues. Minimal apologies or care for the significant inconvenience caused. Landed at nearly 1am and they still couldn’t find ground staff to get us off the plane promptly.

The aircraft had several problems - from excess fuel to non operational ac. Two hours of delay in Chicago could have been avoided with proper planning and aircraft maintenance.

Crew in Columbia was not prepared for landing. It was a bit of a disaster and getting bags took forever.

We were upgraded to First Class and it was a great flight

We experienced gate changes and a long delay. My seat was dirty when I boarded and I had to use wipes to clean it myself. There was an unpleasant and overpowering cleaning product scent on the plane as well that lingered through the flight.

My carry on baggage was damaged. Entire trip, I had to carry the baggage. When complained to the boarding crew, they got mad at me and still asked me to valet check in the cabin baggage. Rude boarding crew!!!

Crew were all friendly and helpful. It was a short flight so just a beverage service with a cookie. After we were boarded the plane took about 45 minutes to leave the gate but it was New Year’s Eve so not shocking there was some delay. Overall good experience and very grateful.

The boarding process needs to be fixed. The zone don't work, especially when there is hardly anyone in zones 3, 4,and 5, leaving the majority of the passengers backed up in the aisle, especially because passengers seated near the front are blocking passengers who are seated in the rear of the plane. It would also help if the size of carry on bags was more strictly enforced.

The boarding by groups is pointless. The first two groups worked fine, but almost Noone boarded in goups three thru five leaving the vast majority boarding when group six was called. It defeated the purpose of spreading out the crowd.

We loved the steward on the plane. He made the night enjoyable

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports