$48 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Houston

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 Houston departing on 5/21. 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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KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Houston

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Chicago to Houston, 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 Houston, as well as popular online travel agencies
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Flights Deals

Cheap Flight Deals from Chicago to Houston (CHI-HOU)

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

Recent round-trip flight deals from Chicago to Houston

KAYAK's recommended round-trip deals from the most popular airlines that fly from Chicago to Houston.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.
Spirit Airlines Logo
9:14 pm - 11:59 pmORD-IAH
2h 45mnonstop
Spirit Airlines Logo
9:10 am - 11:50 amIAH-ORD
2h 40mnonstop
$106Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, May 20 - Tue, May 27
 Logo
2:58 pm - 5:51 pmORD-IAH
2h 53mnonstop
 Logo
7:54 pm - 10:39 pmIAH-ORD
2h 45mnonstop
Thu, May 22 - Sat, May 31
Frontier Logo
4:01 pm - 7:07 pmMDW-IAH
3h 06mnonstop
Frontier Logo
7:27 pm - 10:00 pmIAH-MDW
2h 33mnonstop
$121Frontier
Find Deal
Fri, May 30 - Mon, Jun 2
Frontier Logo
2:58 pm - 5:51 pmORD-IAH
2h 53mnonstop
Frontier Logo
6:48 pm - 9:23 pmIAH-ORD
2h 35mnonstop
$121Frontier
Find Deal
Thu, May 22 - Sun, May 25
Southwest Logo
9:40 pm - 12:10 amMDW-HOU
2h 30mnonstop
Southwest Logo
1:35 pm - 4:05 pmHOU-MDW
2h 30mnonstop
$179Southwest
Find Deal
Tue, Jul 1 - Fri, Jul 4
Southwest Logo
9:55 am - 3:40 pmMDW-HOU
5h 45m1 stop
Southwest Logo
1:35 pm - 4:05 pmHOU-MDW
2h 30mnonstop
$189Southwest
Find Deal
Tue, Jul 1 - Fri, Jul 4
United Airlines Logo
6:00 am - 8:50 amORD-IAH
2h 50mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
4:52 pm - 7:48 pmIAH-ORD
2h 56mnonstop
$197United Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Jul 26 - Tue, Jul 29
United Airlines Logo
7:10 am - 10:04 amORD-IAH
2h 54mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
8:25 pm - 11:12 pmIAH-ORD
2h 47mnonstop
$213United Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, May 26 - Mon, May 26
American Airlines Logo
9:42 am - 12:21 pmORD-IAH
2h 39mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
1:48 pm - 7:17 pmIAH-ORD
5h 29m1 stop
$218American Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Jul 2 - Sat, Jul 5
American Airlines Logo
6:50 am - 9:37 amORD-IAH
2h 47mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
1:29 pm - 4:12 pmIAH-ORD
2h 43mnonstop
$244American Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, May 14 - Wed, May 14
Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Chicago to Houston

 
Snippets provided in this section are AI-generated based on a summarization of KAYAK-commissioned articles. The articles are presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the articles are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Airlines
Frontier

Frontier's Premium Bundle includes priority boarding and extra legroom seats.


Frontier charges for airport check-in; use online or kiosk check-in to avoid fees.

Read more about Frontierby Stefanie Waldek
Spirit Airlines

Spirit's Big Front Seat offers 20-inch width and extra legroom for a nominal fee.


Spirit offers gate-to-gate Wi-Fi coverage across all routes, including browsing and streaming packages.

United Airlines

United's Economy Plus seats offer up to six inches more legroom than standard economy.


United offers Priority Boarding in Zone 2, reducing the risk of gate-checking carry-ons.

American Airlines

American's Main Cabin Extra provides early boarding and complimentary drinks.


American Airlines offers high-speed Wi-Fi for purchase on most flights.

Airports
ORD

ORD's security lines can be long during peak times, but off-hour lines move quickly. Plan accordingly to avoid delays.

Read more about ORDby Stefanie Waldek
MDW

MDW offers shorter security lines than ORD, making it a convenient choice for domestic flights.

Read more about MDWby Stefanie Waldek
IAH

At IAH, rideshare pickups are at Terminals A, B, and C. Terminal E arrivals must use the subway or skyway to reach these points.

Read more about IAHby John Walton
Our travel experts
Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on Frontier, United Airlines, ORD and MDW

Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

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.

Read more
Joe Cortez

Joe Cortez

Expert on Spirit Airlines

Joe Cortez

Joe Cortez

Joe Cortez is a seasoned managing editor in aviation with over a decade of industry experience. His work has been featured on prominent platforms such as FlyerTalk and TripSavvy, establishing him as a respected voice in aviation journalism.

Read more
Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Expert on American Airlines

Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

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.

Read more
John Walton

John Walton

Expert on IAH

John Walton

John Walton

Independent aviation journalist John Walton took his first flight at eight weeks old and hasn’t stopped travelling since. A world-renowned expert in airlines and the passenger experience, he writes in depth on aviation, is a resident expert on travel in Japan and France, and offers a uniquely queer perspective on travelling the world.

Read more
Useful Info

KAYAK's insights & trends for Chicago to Houston flights

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

What is the cheapest Chicago to Houston flight route?

The cheapest price for flight routes found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks for round-trip flights from Chicago to Houston.

Our data shows that the cheapest route for a return flight from Chicago to Houston cost $106 and was between Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) and Houston George Bush Intcntl Airport (IAH). On average, the best prices are found if you fly this route. The average price for a return flight for this route is $106.

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

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

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

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago to Houston, 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 Houston is August, where tickets cost $152 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $264 and $259 respectively.

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

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 $488, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

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 Houston, 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 Houston, you should book around 2 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 6 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Cheapest flight$48
Flight from Chicago Midway Airport to Houston George Bush Airport

When to book flights from Chicago to Houston

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

  • What is the cheapest flight from Chicago to Houston?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Chicago to Houston was $48 for a one-way ticket and $106 for a round-trip.

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

    Yes

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

    Chicago is served by 2 major airports and there are 2 airports in Houston. You will leave Chicago from one of these airports: Chicago Midway or Chicago O'Hare Intl. You will be arriving in Houston at one of these airports: Houston Hobby or Houston George Bush Intcntl.

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

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Chicago to Houston?

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

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

    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 Houston.

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

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

    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 Houston 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 Houston?

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

Prefer to fly direct from Chicago to Houston?

Find which airlines fly direct from Chicago to Houston, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Chicago to Houston

Monday

American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

Tuesday

American Airlines, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, +1 more

American Airlines, Southwest, +2 more

Wednesday

American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

Thursday

American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

Friday

American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

Saturday

American Airlines, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, +1 more

American Airlines, Southwest, +2 more

Sunday

American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Houston to Chicago

Monday

American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

Tuesday

American Airlines, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, +1 more

American Airlines, Southwest, +2 more

Wednesday

American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

Thursday

American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

Friday

American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

Saturday

American Airlines, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, +1 more

American Airlines, Southwest, +2 more

Sunday

American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 5 airlines serving from Chicago to Houston

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Chicago to Houston. 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 Houston? 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 4294 reviews
8.0Comfort
7.1Food
8.6Crew
7.6Entertainment
8.2Boarding
Airline reviews

My flight to Chicago left and landed early. My return flight left two minutes late and arrived 2 minutes late. My seat selections were ideal! There were no snacks going to Chicago and no snacks on the return trip. There are no charging outlets on board.

10.0 ExcellentReginald, Mar 2025MDW - LGA
Read more Southwest reviews

My flight to Chicago left and landed early. My return flight left two minutes late and arrived 2 minutes late. My seat selections were ideal! There were no snacks going to Chicago and no snacks on the return trip. There are no charging outlets on board.

Multiple delays and gate changes. Arrived at final destination 6 hours late. All rental cars had been taken.

The movies using Southwest WiFi kept pausing and I had to restart multiple times.

One of the crew performed a hilarious skit to accompany the standard instructions. Passengers enjoyed it so much they applauded at the end!

First, my flight was a usual flight nothing exceptional or unexpected. Over all it was a normal, good flight! Second, your questionaire is wholly lacking in the proper options to which one can answer a question. Often on short flights, there is no food let alone entertainment so why isn't that reflected in your questionaire? A simple "not applicable" would cover that issue appropriately but no, your form arbitrarily enters an answer based on the initial assessment which normally isn't factual. Until you provide an accurate means of assessing flights, I'll no longer be completing of these unimpressive and misleading assessements. Thank you!

Easy to book and to get check in and get on and off.

Excellent experience. WiFi worked on this leg of My trip

First time I’ve ever missed a flight and it was an international flight.. Southwest put me on the next flight and it was the best experience possible.

It seems as though the provisions are even less. Although SWA used to be an economy Airline, that isn't really the case anymore. I paid over $700. for a round trip to Denver and I could have flown just about any airline for the price. The drinks are now in a 6-ounce cup and with ice I'm sure a can would fill more than 2 cups. However, I am very proud of SWA for using paper rather than continuing to contribute to the millions of plastic cups being used each day. I've thought of this fr many years and am so glad to see it come to fruition, if not by only SWA so far.

Service was great, boarding and exiting went smoothly, and the flight was very pleasant.

The plane pushed back from the gate on time. However, it stopped on the ramp, and we waited for over 20 minutes before the aircraft pulled back to the gate. Apparently, something of importance had to be removed from the aircraft by the gate agent. I found this to be odd. The delay was not significant, but I felt that whatever was on the aircraft that had to be taken off, should’ve been done before we pushed back from the gate.

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.

My suitcase was destroyed. The top part where the handle is is completed broken. And unusable now.

Since when do I have to pay for my checked bag? I have a United Explorer mileage plus silver card and I was charged for my checked bags. This also is an international flight. So I would like an explanation to be clear before I choose an airline please?

Michael, our FA was very attentive, even finding me a chocolate brownie from economy class when the dessert selections were all dairy based. ( intolerant, not allergic so don’t usually need to order dairy free)

I don’t understand the purpose of the orange “priority” tag on my bag. This tagged, my bag is last or near to the last bag to come down the carousel at IAH.

Oh my gosh, I loved my experience with United! they made me want to travel more often.

The planes are so dirty! Food crumbs and finger print smudges, Dust over the vents and carpet stains. It’s disgusting.

The bag drop personal were not helpful. There was no food on the flight. Boeing aircraft, lousy as always. Everything else was fine.

Asked several times dairy free options and was ignored. Was told chips was the only thing I could have that I should have put it on my profile “which it is”. Very unprofessional. WiFi didn’t work have the flight. Overall a very bad experience.

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.

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.

My flight attendant was attentive! The elderly person next to me was flatulent and the flight attendant could see that I was in distress and brought me some face masks

My boarding pass wouldn't pull up in the app very easily and had to really dig through my email. That caused a delay in TSA..

I had a TERRIBLE experience with the AA crew. I believe it was disability-related. It’s unlikely I will fly AA again.

Worst airline ever! The guy weighing my bag had his foot on the metal plate and when I called him out on it, I got this stupid little smirk. La is a scam and so is Spirit Airlines. All the flight attendants looked like they hated our flight just as much as we did.

Spirit is awful. Too expensive for what you get. Stop nickel and diming.

Good crew and safe. However, comfort and being nickeled-and-dimed are my issues. $75 each way for luggage is exhortation. The space to the next seat is so close you cannot open a laptop. The magazine rack doesn’t hold your items. Not a fan.

WiFi could have been a little more consistent - otherwise a phenomenal and positive experience. The 1000 mile giveaway was awesome!!!

Your employees need to learn how to talk to people as creations of Yah. We are not their children nor are we lower than them.

Helpful attendants at check-in is very good. The $70 charge for a checked bags I didn't care for.and the constant charges for picking a seat and faster check-in are too much. Please cut the prices by at least 50% would be fantastic!

The flight was delayed over an hour and we had to sit on the plane. Crew does not apologize due to the delay. Spirit will NEVER do anything to give a customer a better experience. A child next to me was kicking me the whole time. I don't ever enjoy flying with Spirit.

Flight was ok with exception of the multiple delays. As with all Spirit flights, the sights are extremely uncomfortable and lack leg space. However, the price savings is the plus.

Easy! As long as you don’t mind no frills, our flight was enjoyable and on time

Okay for the most part but Good boarding and on time

The reps working at the airport counter were dumber than a second coat of paint.

My costume jewelry was stolen out of my bag. Got to airport and my bag weighed 45 pounds- 5 pounds over cost me $100 Long lines in tier one. No entertainment No WiFi no free drinks or snacks

Not very good. Paid in excess of $400 for assigned seating for my family and that was not provided. I want that money back.

The seats were hard molded plastic covered in plastic vinyl. And the scam to charge people extra to sit together. Don’t they know we can just ask someone to trade seats. And watching the staff separate young children from parents… super classy. We had to guilt them into offering up our seats. This companies policies suck. Don’t give them your money.

The seats were awful, hard plastic covered in sheet vinyl. The airline tries to scam you into paying extra to get seat together when the flight wasn’t full. They were going to separate a family with young children but my wife who had a row to herself gave up her seat so the young mom could be with her young boys. I’m never giving this airline my money again.

It was a short flight so no food or entertainment….

Seats are uncomfortable but price is good. Guess I can put up with misery for four hours.

I’ve never traveled on Frontier before. If you want basic, no frills, friendly service at great prices then give them a fly!

Cancelled and declined to find alternatives Earlier flight is 2 days later Sent the cancellation notification very late, wish I knew earlier would have stayed to watch the Miami open final game Very disappointing service

The worst flight of my life. Never will I fly frontier again

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

Cabin class types available on flights from Chicago to Houston

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

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