$95 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Houston - Compare and Save

Among airlines operating Chicago to Houston flights:

• Frontier: offers free seat selection
• American Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• United Airlines: offers extra legroom; offers free seat selection
• Southwest: offers free seat selection

Extra legroom and free seat selection availability depends on fare class and route.

4 airlines operate flights between Chicago and Houston. The airlines offering nonstop flights on this route include:

• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Southwest
• Frontier

Flights from Chicago to Houston may depart from several airports in Chicago area, including Chicago Midway (MDW), Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) and Chicago Greater Rockford (RFD), with arrivals available at Houston area airports such as Houston Hobby (HOU) and Houston George Bush Intcntl (IAH).

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• Frontier: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class
• American Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class
• United Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy Class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route and airline, so travelers should check the fare details before booking.

Four cabin classes are available on flights from Chicago to Houston:

• Economy Class
• Premium Economy Class
• Business Class
• First Class

Prices vary by airline.

On this route, layover flights are cheaper than nonstop options on average. Layover fares average $176 round-trip via Raleigh-Durham (RDU), compared to $233 for nonstop.

There is no standard. Checked-bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge $40–$100 for the first checked bag in economy. Premium fares and elite-status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

One-stop flights from Chicago to Houston most commonly connect through:

• Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) - 35% of one-stop connections
• Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) - 27% of one-stop connections
• Raleigh-Durham (RDU) - 8% of one-stop connections
• Orlando (MCO) - 6% of one-stop connections

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 25% on the Chicago to Houston route. Thursday is the cheapest departure day at $222 round-trip on average, while Sunday is the most expensive at $294, a difference of $72. KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the Chicago to Houston route, 20% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2 hours 5 minutes.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Chicago to Houston flights, with 44% of flights leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 27%, evening flights for 21%, and night flights for 8%.

Some of the most popular sights in Houston are Downtown Houston, George R. Brown Convention Center and Galleria Mall. These are among the most viewed places in Houston on KAYAK.

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from Chicago to Houston:

• Earliest: departs at 12:01 am and lands at 2:54 am
• Latest: departs at 11:55 pm and lands at 2:48 am.

The flight takes about 2h 53m.

Last-minute fares on this route - booked within 2 weeks of departure - run 32% above the route average of $234. Book 10 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

A nonstop flight from Chicago to Houston takes 2h 53m, covering 941 miles.

No, a passport is not required for this domestic route, but you will need a real ID-compliant driver's license, a state ID, or another TSA-accepted form of identification.

One-way fares from Chicago to Houston are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $133, which is 20% below the typical average for this route.

Morning flights have the fewest delays on this route. Delays tend to pile up throughout the day as one late flight pushes the next, so earlier departures are usually more reliable.

Flying via Dallas Love Field (DAL) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time at 4h 43m, compared with 5h 16m via Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) and 5h 56m via Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD).

Since Houston is served by multiple airports, car rental options and rates can vary depending on which one you fly into.
Near Houston George Bush Intcntl Airport (IAH) — daily rates from around $3:

• ACO Rent A Car
• Easirent
• America Car Rental
• Hertz
• Thrifty

Near Houston Hobby Airport (HOU) — daily rates from around $20:

• Thrifty
• Dollar
• Alamo
• Hertz
• Budget

Round-trip flights from Chicago to Houston range from $157 to $348, with an average of $234 over the past 12 months. Anything below $157 counts as a good deal.

Two airlines offer in-flight Wi-Fi on Chicago to Houston flights:

• • American Airlines
• • JetBlue