$52 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 3/26. 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 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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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$83
Overall average: $244
Frontier
Wed 4/29Sat 5/2
ORD - IAH • Non-stop
Cheapest non-stop
$83
Typical prices: $153-$313
Frontier
Wed 4/29Wed 5/6
ORD - IAH • Non-stop
Our travelers' advice
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
American's Main Cabin Extra offers early boarding.
At IAH, use rideshare pickup at Terminals A or C.
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Top airlines
Frontier
Cheapest • from $83 (round-trip)
Southwest
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Top routes
ORD
-
IAH
Cheapest • 30% average savings
ORD
-
IAH
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 32% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights 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.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Chicago to Houston

Wed, Apr 29 - Sat, May 2
Frontier Logo
8:25 am - 11:32 am
ORD
-
IAH
3h 07mnonstop
Frontier Logo
11:32 am - 2:22 pm
IAH
-
ORD
2h 50mnonstop
$83Frontier
Tue, Feb 24 - Sun, Mar 1
Spirit Airlines Logo
9:18 am - 12:24 pm
ORD
-
IAH
3h 06mnonstop
Spirit Airlines Logo
5:15 am - 7:54 am
IAH
-
ORD
2h 39mnonstop
$84Spirit Airlines
Sun, Feb 22 - Mon, Feb 23
Spirit Airlines Logo
8:59 am - 12:00 pm
ORD
-
IAH
3h 01mnonstop
Spirit Airlines Logo
5:15 am - 7:54 am
IAH
-
ORD
2h 39mnonstop
$85Spirit Airlines
Thu, Feb 19 - Sun, Feb 22
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 10:22 am
ORD
-
IAH
3h 22mnonstop
Multiple Airlines Logo
5:15 am - 7:54 am
IAH
-
ORD
2h 39mnonstop
$86Multiple Airlines
Tue, Mar 3 - Tue, Mar 10
Spirit Airlines Logo
9:18 am - 12:24 pm
ORD
-
IAH
3h 06mnonstop
Spirit Airlines Logo
3:37 pm - 6:18 pm
IAH
-
ORD
2h 41mnonstop
$87Spirit Airlines
Thu, Feb 19 - Sat, Feb 21
Frontier Logo
7:00 am - 10:22 am
ORD
-
IAH
3h 22mnonstop
Frontier Logo
12:24 pm - 3:17 pm
IAH
-
ORD
2h 53mnonstop
$89Frontier
Sat, Feb 28 - Tue, Mar 3
Southwest Logo
8:55 pm - 11:45 pm
MDW
-
HOU
2h 50mnonstop
Southwest Logo
2:15 pm - 4:40 pm
HOU
-
MDW
2h 25mnonstop
$157Southwest
Sat, Feb 28 - Tue, Mar 3
Southwest Logo
8:55 pm - 11:45 pm
MDW
-
HOU
2h 50mnonstop
Southwest Logo
8:30 pm - 10:55 pm
HOU
-
MDW
2h 25mnonstop
$168Southwest
Tue, Mar 3 - Wed, Mar 11
Delta Logo
11:18 am - 4:28 pm
ORD
-
HOU
5h 10m
1 stop
Delta Logo
5:22 pm - 11:54 pm
HOU
-
ORD
6h 32m
1 stop
$197Delta
Sat, Mar 7 - Tue, Mar 10
Delta Logo
4:13 pm - 10:28 pm
MDW
-
HOU
6h 15m
1 stop
Delta Logo
5:22 pm - 10:31 pm
HOU
-
MDW
5h 09m
1 stop
$197Delta
Booking Insights

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?

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

The absolute cheapest return flight from Chicago to Houston costs $86 on the route between Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) and Houston George Bush Intcntl Airport (IAH). However, over the past month, flights between Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) and Houston George Bush Intcntl Airport (IAH) were, on average, 30% cheaper than other Chicago-Houston routes. The most popular route is between Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) and Houston George Bush Intcntl Airport (IAH).

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 Monday 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 September, where tickets cost $177 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are May and June, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $245 and $244 respectively.

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 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 32% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 17 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Chicago to Houston

 
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 Frontier, United Airlines and ORD

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.

Joe Cortez

Joe Cortez

Expert on Spirit Airlines

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.

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.

John Walton

John Walton

Expert on IAH

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.

Good to know

Cheapest flight$52
Flight from Chicago O'Hare 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 $52 for a one-way ticket and $83 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?

    SkyTeam, oneworld, 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?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying 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, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, +1 more

American Airlines, Southwest, +2 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, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 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, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, +1 more

American Airlines, Southwest, +2 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, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

Sunday

American Airlines, Frontier, Southwest, +2 more

American Airlines, Frontier, +3 more

See more direct flights

Reviews of the 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 4267 reviews
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
8.6Crew
7.5Entertainment
8.0Comfort
Airline reviews

Great flight but super high price. Glad it was a business trip and not personal

10.0 ExcellentPieter, Jan 2026
LGB - DAL
Read more Southwest reviews

Great flight but super high price. Glad it was a business trip and not personal

On time. Friendly staff. Took to long to pre bord all the specialty groups. Cramped small plane

The staff was very friendly, professional, and courteous. The overall flight was a great experience.

No delays and arrived to destination 30 min early. Staff was super friendly.

Everything a cheap airline should be at normal airline rates.

Plane crashed into a bus or some other vehicle on the ground while pulling out of the gate. No injuries, but wing tip was damaged and returned to gate for “maintenance issues” and we departed 5 hours later because the plane went out of service and new plane was flown in from a nearby airport, Midway.

Full cans of soda would be nice. A choice between two snacks would be appreciated.

Tried watching free movie and it kept freezing so I couldn’t finish.

All was good. I just had a hard time getting connected to the WiFi/internet during the flight

I was re-booked onto another flight because my original flight was delayed and I would have missed my connector. I ended up in the “C” group after paying extra to be in the “A “ group on the original flight. At least if you’re going to re-book people, re-book them into the same group.

Delayed, toilets did not flush, pilot parked to far away from Gate

Check-in, boarding and the flight from Phoenix to Houston was quick and easy. The flight from Houston to Shreveport was delayed 5 hours. It was frustrating but I think United handled it the best they could.

The staff was hospitable and professional. The seat had a bit of wear. The winner shade was stuck 1/4 open. I received the best of both worlds. The morning sun was able to come in and blind the screen i was trying to use while at the same time it was too low to look out and enjoy the view. Rather embarrassing for a 1st class ticket.

United is an incompetent airline. They parked the plane on the tarmac for an hour after arriving because they “didn’t have a gate available” it was actually some sort of lie because as we de planed there were approximately 9 open and manned and empty gates that we walked past. Many people on the flight missed connections for the hour long sit on the tarmac. Utterly baffling and incompetent behavior from United flight ops.

I boarded flight UA#1318 at Sacramento International Airport going back to Houston TX. The flight was scheduled at 5:10am. I was able to check in virtually using the United Airlines app. When I entered the airport, there was no one outside assisting with checked bags as it was for Delta Airlines. Immediately upon entering, there was a LONG, EXTREMELY LONG line to the kiosks to get boarding passes. I stand in line to get boarding passes then had to move to ANOTHER EXTREMELY LONG line to get my bags checked in. While standing in this line, we noticed an agent taking customers to 3 at a time to her station to check their bags in. Lucky for me, she called me back, checked my bags for me and I was on my way. I then encountered another long line at the TSA check and to avoid I ending up having to sign up for CLEAR to bypass it. So glad, I did.,...Both of my flights were great with no issues, butthe check in progress at Bush Airport was so much smoother. Check-in at SMF airport needs to be anaylzed and corrected. Do better United, I know you can....thanks

Ot was overall fine. Left on time and had basic snacks. Weather was finicky but that’s not the airlines fault.

Even though we were delayed, we were able to make our connection

Crew and customer service were excellent. This flight also had plenty of leg room and seat mounted screens for entertainment. A very pleasant flight all around!

I was in first class. The outlets at my seat did not work. The plane was shabby and run down. I had prepurchsed a day subscription for internet that was not redeemable. I had to repurchase the internet for my flight and then it didn’t work anyway. Quite disappointed in what was supposed to be the launch of a great vacation.

Flight was good and crew was super polite. However, there were around 5 kids screaming the WHOLE 2 hours. I understand kids have to come but parents need to do something to control their children. They make the experience terrible, especially after finishing 16 hour shifts at the hospital I needed some sleep, which I did not get.

I booked an aisle seat and was given a middle. At 6'4" 230lbs, it is not ideal to fly in the middle row for myself and passengers.

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

it was terrible. flight was cancelled hours before the flight without a given reason and no other booking available .

Spirit Airlines has a reputation for being a terrible, cheap airline, this is why. I took a gamble on them, having never flown with them before, and the flight got cancelled. First they delayed the flight about 4 times before finally canceling it because a flight attendant didn’t show up to work that day. That’s so stupid. When I asked a ticketing agent she said that’s “company policy”. A company policy that inconveniences hundreds of passengers because a single flight attendant didn’t show is ridiculous and inefficient. I will never, ever try flying Spirit Airlines again.

Cancelled my flight and the earliest that they are willing give me for the next flight which was 3 days later on a weekday. Only accommodation they are willing to give was $30 airline credit that will expire in 1 year

Flight was canceled, huge lines to get baggage returned. Most other airlines had delays but not widespread cancellations like Spirit.

My baby was crying uncontrollably for the longest time and the entire crew was SO supportive, I’m so appreciative of them. Thank you so much for the support during an exhausting moment. We got very lucky.

Uncomfortable seats and tiny tray table. Expensive snacks. Flight was on time and crew was pleasant but take me back to Southwest!

I didn't order food. I requested a Tomato juice and was given a boody mary mix. The serve needs to warn the customer what their given. It wasn't a huge deal, but I wasted $4.50.

EVERYTHING! It was so bad that I will be filing a claim for reimbursement for my seat as I could not fully sit in it due to an obese person being next to me and spilling over into my "space." And my personal item in the overhead been got crushed between two suitcases, so now my business laptop has been damaged beyond repair. Also, it was expensive! Since you pay for EVERYTHING, the cost of the trip was probably more than if you I used an airline that was not discounted. I will NEVER fly Spirit Airlines again!

One of worst experienc my family have every had with this airline. I was informed my Kayak that my flight was delayed and that my family will not make it to houston for our connecting flight. I contacted Spirit customer service to get my family on a later flight due to the delay in Vagas and them not making their connecting flight. The customer rep keep telling me that the flight from vagas is on time and not delayed. She even make to go to the spirit app on my phone and show me how to look up weather or not the flight was delayed. The app showed "on time" 20 minutes later when my family arrived at the airport for their flight, they were told that the flight was delayed and she will not make her connecting flight. I call spirit airline customer support again that night and spoke to another rep who apologize for his collegue and he told me that my family will receive a credit for this, this was on Saturday I still have not received the credit or an email letting me know when I will be credited for this inconvenience. This is not good business and it need to be fixed.

It was very bad it got delayed by 2 hours.Never going to travel with spirit airlines in future.

Very well recently! Frontier is improving and less harrassing customer on luggages! Positive!

Good for a budget airline! It was easy to get on, staff was really nice. Can’t say anything about the food or entertainment because it wasn’t available, which is fine.

I am writing to express my disappointment with my recent Frontier Airlines flight. I was charged $99 at the gate because my bag was said to be too large, yet once onboard there was no available overhead bin space, and I was required to place the bag under the seat in front of me anyway. This made the charge feel unnecessary and unfair. Additionally, before the flight even took off, I was asked to move from the seat I paid for into a middle seat so another passenger and her cat could have my seat to themselves. I was not offered compensation or an explanation for being moved from a paid seat. Between the unexpected bag fee and being forced to give up my seat, this experience fell well below acceptable customer service standards. I would appreciate a review of this situation and appropriate compensation.

It was costly and difficult to check in. $85 to take a small suitcase with me, carry on or checked and $75 on the return trip, Plus $25 if I didn't check my self in check in $25, because I couldn't do it on the kiosk. Small very uncomfortable seats, waited on the runway for near an hour each way. It was my worst flight to date.

It was ok. It was expensive to check 2 bags ($75.00 per bag), and then it took a long time to wait for shuttle to take us from one terminal to the terminal where the plane was taking off at LAX. And all of this for a flight where we had to pay for any food or drink that was not water.

It didn’t happen. I booked it and then was told it wasn’t available and then forced to pay far higher prices for a worse option

A 630departure flight Delayed 6hours! They changed my gate, I moved to the new gate. Had our flight on the screen for 12noon departure. I go get above to eat, check screen again and the flight was gone, no notice no announcement, nothing!! They sent my bag on the flight I wasn’t on, got it back to me 3days later. Thank goodness they did refund my money but I will NEVER fly them again.

Due to weather, my flight was delayed, further delayed, then canceled. I eventually got through to a support person who helped me find a different route out of MSP, but to get to DIA, they didn't want to, but eventually did help with the connection ticket purchase. But even this replacement flight was delayed time and time again, and I would have missed my connecting flights and I didn't want to get stuck in a layover city, so after 12 hours at the airport with two young boys who were very tired, we just cancelled our plans and spent the week at home, instead of Nana's.

Plane and crew on board were fine. Everything else was terrible.

The third party booking with cheapflightsfares was awful. Kayak should NOT partner with them. They sold me a bundle including seat selection and carry-on, but did not book the carry-ons with Frontier, so I’m out of pocket for $414 more while I await resolution.

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.