CHI - CMH

$79 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Columbus - Compare and Save

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 Columbus departing on 9/15. 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.
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$221
Typical prices: $213-$461
Frontier
Tue 8/25Tue 9/1
ORD - CMH • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$227
Typical prices: $241-$435
United Airlines
Thu 9/24Sat 10/3
ORD - CMH • Non-stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $227 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
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Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with American Airlines, Southwest and United Airlines. Average duration is 1h 31m
Direct flights
Direct flights
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Direct flights
Direct flights
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Top routes
Cheapest • 10% average savings
Most popular
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Avoid delays
Most punctual • 86% on-time
Best time • Fewest delays
Insights
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Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $150 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 3h 08m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
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Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 5 weeks in advance save around 52% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
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When to travel
Cheapest • 23% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
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+1
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Flight Deals
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Expert advice
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Chicago to Columbus (CHI-CMH)

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

Tue, Aug 25 - Tue, Sep 1
Frontier Logo
7:05 am - 5:25 pm
ORD
-
CMH
9h 20m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
10:28 am - 11:08 pm
CMH
-
ORD
13h 40m
1 stop
$221Frontier
Fri, Oct 30 - Sat, Oct 31
Frontier Logo
9:26 am - 5:01 pm
ORD
-
CMH
6h 35m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
5:56 pm - 11:50 pm
CMH
-
ORD
6h 54m
1 stop
$224Frontier
Tue, Sep 15 - Tue, Sep 22
Frontier Logo
6:20 am - 6:55 pm
ORD
-
CMH
11h 35m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
7:50 pm - 2:17 pm
CMH
-
ORD
19h 27m
2 stops
$225Frontier
Thu, Sep 24 - Sat, Oct 3
United Airlines Logo
10:44 am - 1:14 pm
ORD
-
CMH
1h 30mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
10:26 am - 11:00 am
CMH
-
ORD
1h 34mnonstop
$227United Airlines
Sat, Aug 29 - Thu, Sep 3
Southwest Logo
8:05 am - 2:40 pm
MDW
-
CMH
5h 35m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
9:50 am - 2:55 pm
CMH
-
MDW
6h 05m
2 stops
$227Southwest
Thu, Aug 20 - Mon, Aug 24
United Airlines Logo
12:54 pm - 3:28 pm
ORD
-
CMH
1h 34mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
7:20 am - 7:54 am
CMH
-
ORD
1h 34mnonstop
$228United Airlines
Fri, Aug 21 - Mon, Aug 24
American Airlines Logo
7:45 pm - 10:23 pm
ORD
-
CMH
1h 38mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
10:18 am - 11:00 am
CMH
-
ORD
1h 42mnonstop
$229American Airlines
Fri, Aug 28 - Thu, Sep 3
American Airlines Logo
7:45 pm - 10:23 pm
ORD
-
CMH
1h 38mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
9:16 am - 10:00 am
CMH
-
ORD
1h 44mnonstop
$229American Airlines
Fri, Sep 25 - Sat, Sep 26
Southwest Logo
8:15 am - 10:35 am
MDW
-
CMH
1h 20mnonstop
Southwest Logo
12:50 pm - 1:05 pm
CMH
-
MDW
1h 15mnonstop
$229Southwest
Fri, Aug 28 - Thu, Sep 3
Southwest Logo
6:15 pm - 8:30 pm
MDW
-
CMH
1h 15mnonstop
Southwest Logo
7:35 pm - 7:45 pm
CMH
-
MDW
1h 10mnonstop
$229Southwest
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Chicago to Columbus flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Chicago to Columbus 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 Columbus Airport?

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 Columbus Airport departing in August.

Flight prices are below average for this route right now.

Flights to Columbus Airport from Chicago usually cost between $278 and $673 in August.
The lowest price found in the past 5 days was $238 on Frontier (Aug 17-Aug 19).

What is the cheapest Chicago to Columbus Airport flight route?

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

The cheapest return flight from Chicago to Columbus Airport costs $201 on the route between Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) and Columbus Airport (CMH). Over the past month, this route was, on average, 10% cheaper than other Chicago-Columbus Airport routes. It is also the most popular route.

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

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

For Chicago to Columbus, Saturday is the cheapest day to fly on average and Monday is the most expensive. Flying from Columbus back to Chicago, the best deals are generally found on Friday, with Monday being the most expensive.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Chicago to Columbus Airport?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago to Columbus Airport, 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 Columbus Airport is September, where tickets cost $307 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are January and March, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $521 and $477 respectively.

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

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 $337 on average.

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

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 Columbus Airport, 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 Columbus Airport, you should book around 5 weeks before departure, which saves you about 52% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 20 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Chicago to Columbus

 
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.

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Expert on Southwest

Blane Bachelor is a journalist and editor specializing in travel and aviation who writes regularly for top global outlets. Born and raised in Florida, Blane has worked and lived in four countries, including the Netherlands, where she’s currently based with her family. Her favorite way to get to know a new destination is by running or riding a bike around town – or hearing a spooky ghost story about local history. She will always choose the window seat.

Good to know

Low season

December

Cheapest flight

$79
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 14% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 3% lower on average.
Flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to Columbus

When to book flights from Chicago to Columbus

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Chicago to Columbus 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 Chicago to Columbus flights

  • How can I fly from Midway to Columbus?

    Southwest is one airline that offers direct flights from MDW to CMH. Delta is among the airlines that offers flights from MDW to CMH with one stop. Stops often occur in cities such as Detroit, Atlanta, and Minneapolis.

  • Do either of the Chicago airports have a hotel at the airport?

    Yes. The Hilton Chicago O'Hare Airport Hotel is on ORD grounds, located across from Terminal 2 and connected to all of the terminals of the airport by an underground walkway. Amenities at this hotel include room service, and indoor pool, a business center, wheelchair accessibility, and much more.

  • Which Chicago airports have a USO lounge?

    Both Chicago airports have USO, and in fact, ORD has two USO military lounges. At ORD, you can find a USO in Terminal 2 landside and in Terminal 3 airside. The USO at MDW is airside on Concourse C. Active-duty US military personnel and their families can enjoy the services and facilities of these military lounges free of charge. Amenities include comfortable and relaxing seating, refreshments, devices for connectivity and entertainment, flight information, and much more.

  • Is CMH an accessible airport?

    Yes. CMH has made many adaptations to assist differently-abled passengers. Some of these accommodations include wheelchair availability and assistance, shuttles equipped with lifts to accommodate wheelchairs and electric scooters, and handicap accessible parking. CMH also uses sunflower lanyards and wristbands to identify travelers with challenges that aren't so obvious, such as autism, PTSD, and hearing loss. The lanyards and wristbands discreetly alert airport and airplane staff that these passengers will need extra time and assistance with the travel process.

  • What is the cheapest flight from Chicago to Columbus Airport?

    In the last 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from Chicago to Columbus Airport was $79 for a one-way ticket and $227 for a round-trip.

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

    No

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

    Chicago is served by 2 major airports and there is only 1 main airport in Columbus. You will leave Chicago from one of these airports: Chicago Midway or Chicago O'Hare Intl. You will be arriving at Columbus.

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

    American Airlines, and JetBlue offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Chicago to Columbus flight route.

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

    The Embraer 175 (Enhanced Winglets) is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Chicago to Columbus flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Chicago to Columbus?

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

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Chicago to Columbus are Southwest and United Airlines. With an average price for the route of $360 and an overall rating of 8.0, Southwest is the most popular choice. United Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $426 and an overall rating of 7.4.

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

    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 Columbus.

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

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

    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 Columbus 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 Columbus?

    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 Columbus 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 Columbus Airport

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $177 or less one-way and $355 or less round-trip.
  • Chicago, Illinois is served by two airports, the Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and the Midway International Airport (MDW). ORD is a hub for American and United Airlines. MDW is a hub for Southwest Airlines and a focus city for Frontier. The John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH) is no longer a hub for any airlines.
  • United and American are among the airlines that offer direct flights from ORD to CMH. Delta and American are among the carriers that offer flights from ORD to CMH with one stop, often in Minneapolis, Philadelphia, or Dallas. United and American are among the airlines that offer two-stop flights from ORD to CMH, with layovers in cities including Detroit, Grand Rapids, Cleveland, Washington DC, and New York.
  • If you want to relax before your flight to CMH, you can stop by the Yoga Room to stretch out and center yourself. Both Chicago airports, ORD and MDW, have a Yoga Room with wall mounted TVs demonstrating poses. The Yoga Room in each airport is open daily from 6 am to 10 pm.
  • CMH has private Nursing Rooms located throughout the airport for traveling moms who would like to breastfeed in private or who need to pump. You can find these Nursing Rooms landside in Baggage Claim and airside at Gates A2, B29, and C51.
  • If you need to pick up a rental car at the Columbus Airport, follow the purple signs throughout the terminal that will guide you to the Arrivals Level. At the Arrivals curb, you can catch a free shuttle for a brief ride to the Rental Car Center. Some agencies that you will find at the CMH Rental Car Center include Avis, Hertz, Enterprise, Budget, Thrifty, Alamo, and more.

Prefer to fly direct from Chicago to Columbus?

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

Direct departures

Chicago to Columbus

Monday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Tuesday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Wednesday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Thursday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Friday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Saturday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Sunday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Columbus to Chicago

Monday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Tuesday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Wednesday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Thursday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Friday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Saturday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

Sunday

American Airlines,Southwest,United Airlines

American Airlines,Southwest, +1 more

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 3 airlines serving from Chicago to Columbus

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Chicago to Columbus. 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 Columbus? 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
SouthwestOverall score based on 4228 reviews
8.1Boarding
8.6Crew
7.0Food
7.5Entertainment
8.0Comfort
Airline reviews

Overall good, just screaming kids in the area the whole flight.

8.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Jul 2026
MDW - MHT
Read more Southwest reviews

Overall good, just screaming kids in the area the whole flight.

OKay. I sat in the back of the plane and it was really loud between babies and little kids, and adults who.like to talk a lot and loudly most of the flight.

The first time I flew in the extra legroom section. It was difficult to notice a difference. I had bad luck with my neighbors. The crew was okay. Southwest has reduced the live TV options.

I flew twice this week on Southwest, was delayed over 2 hours both ways. From Pittsburgh to Chicago it was due to weather but the gate agents, pilot etc were great at updating everyone. Today from Midway to Pittsburgh the plane had come from an international location, kept getting delayed, no information was given until we were delayed for the third time. It was ridiculous, whoever scheduled that plane to fly to Pittsburgh after didn’t consider a lot of things.

Had to get off plane from prior flight even though I had to reboard same plane to continue to my final destination.

Short flight with plenty of open seats. Drinks and snacks were still provided even on such a short flight. <1 hr

My experience with Southwest as a whole was good but coming out of Cancun to Chicago it was terrible. Not only was it a language barrier with customer service we stood there to ask questions and they act like they didn't even see you. So the first come approach is not all that great anymore.

Always a great experience. Crew is great at communicating things during flight

very disappointed by plane having no power outlets for our electronics

I kept getting h notifications that the flight was delayed. At the airport it was only 2 mins delay. Very confusing. No WiFi on the plan. Snacks very salty. No alternative

It was hot and not as comfortable as the flight to Chicago. Must have been a different plane that needs to be worked on or replaced.

The SFO lounge closes at 12 midnight. My flight took off at 2AM

It was extremely hot in the cabin the entire flight, vent air was worn

Have not had a flight out or returning to Norfolk that has not required maintenance, and a gate delay. Properly staff the crew so maintenance can be performed without last minute emergencies on each flight and there is enough staff to have gates prepared for inbound flights. Staff to ensure the safety and on time service vs. profit.

I'm a United 1K member and have ben for 10 years. The gate agent had no control over the boarding process and had us passengers queued for hours as delays were announced. On the plane, the overhead air nozzle was broken so col over was powering through on me and the passenger next to me. Not a great experience for a million miler on United. Feel free to contact me. Josh Smigel - DM426089

Really hard landing... as in slammed into the runway then hit the brakes really hard ...

Good quick flight on a small but comfortable plane. I'm 6'3 and had plenty of space.

It was delayed instead of departing at 9:20pm, we departed at 11pm… putting us in Columbus after 2am! It was awful. Had I known about the delay, I could have spent some time in the United Lounge… I was starving because I started my journey in Budapest… so I was exhausted and hungry. Plus I had to make new arrangements to be picked up at the airport in Columbus, instead of midnight it was 2:30 am after getting luggage and out of airport. Not feasible. I would have just stayed in Chicago for the night and gotten a morning flight.

United is today and old, the planes, the staff, the business processes. Yet they expect premium prices for a less than average flight experience. I should have remembered to stay away from them and will remember to stay away from them in the future since I'm traveling a lot again. In a nutshell, they suck eggs.

The flight was clean and on schedule, but connections could have been better

My flight was delayed twice. The first time because of “plane maintenance” and the second because the previous flight who supposedly “arrived early” took an obnoxiously long time to get off the plane. Total delay was over an hour for no reason. Not to mention your airline repeatedly changed our gate from one end of the terminal to the other. Not very happy about this experience. My previous flights with American haven’t had this many issues.

Early departure meant on time arrival. Only real problem was free internet had issues, although chatting with the internet help desk (you can do this via aainflight.com) got the issue resolved.

Delayed initially because they couldn’t print the flight details. Poor instruction on delay. When I got on the plane the flight attendant argued with me about whether my carry on would fit (it did, although she didn’t acknowledge that). No greeting (other than arguing with me) getting on or off the plane.

Experience was great. The best part is the free Wi-Fi connection which helps me to work on the flight

one crew said "he" didn't serve double alcohol drinks for travelers in exit rows. crew on prior flight did. Is this a AA rule, and the prior crew was being nice? Also, I think we deserve more than a 25% refund for losing first class seats when rescheduling a flight due to weather

The captain brought my 6 year old son into the cockpit and allowed him to ask questions, sit in the captain’s chair and talk about all the gears and levers. Made the trip very special for him.

we landed at cmh ten minutes early but had to sit on tarmac for twenty minutes because a plane was at our gate despite the fact that 3 other gates were open.

On time (actually a little early). Was a good and short flight!

Do not eat the bagel! Otherwise, good albeit late, breakfast in first. Boarding downgrade only because flight was delayed due to plane change due to undisclosed problem with original aircraft. I did not use entertainment.

No service due to turbulence. No entertainment on this type of aircraft. But nice old comfortable seats.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports