CHI - SNA

$62 Find Cheap Flights from Chicago to Santa Ana

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 Santa Ana departing on 8/9. 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

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Santa Ana

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

Cheap Flights from Chicago to Santa Ana (CHI-SNA)

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

Fri, Aug 22 - Mon, Aug 25
Spirit Airlines Logo
5:35 pm - 9:21 pmORD-SNA
5h 46m1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
8:30 pm - 4:50 amSNA-ORD
6h 20m1 stop
$125Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 30 - Sat, Oct 4
Spirit Airlines Logo
9:00 am - 10:05 pmORD-SNA
15h 05m1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
8:40 pm - 4:49 amSNA-ORD
6h 09m1 stop
$128Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Sat, Oct 18 - Wed, Oct 22
Spirit Airlines Logo
3:21 pm - 9:41 pmORD-SNA
8h 20m1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
6:45 am - 2:16 pmSNA-ORD
5h 31m1 stop
$141Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Oct 23 - Sun, Oct 26
Spirit Airlines Logo
3:21 pm - 9:41 pmORD-SNA
8h 20m1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
7:45 am - 11:43 pmSNA-ORD
13h 58m1 stop
$156Spirit Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Aug 12 - Sat, Aug 16
Frontier Logo
7:00 am - 11:11 amORD-SNA
6h 11m1 stop
Frontier Logo
11:56 am - 12:32 amSNA-ORD
10h 36m1 stop
$190Frontier
Find Deal
Fri, Aug 8 - Sat, Aug 9
Frontier Logo
5:40 am - 11:10 amORD-SNA
7h 30m1 stop
Frontier Logo
11:56 am - 12:32 amSNA-ORD
10h 36m1 stop
$194Frontier
Find Deal
Wed, Aug 27 - Wed, Sep 3
Delta Logo
6:00 am - 12:42 pmMDW-SNA
8h 42m1 stop
Delta Logo
8:00 am - 5:37 pmSNA-MDW
7h 37m1 stop
$277Delta
Find Deal
Thu, Aug 28 - Sun, Aug 31
Delta Logo
6:00 am - 12:42 pmMDW-SNA
8h 42m1 stop
Delta Logo
9:00 am - 5:37 pmSNA-MDW
6h 37m1 stop
$283Delta
Find Deal
Sat, Nov 1 - Wed, Nov 12
Southwest Logo
5:15 am - 11:05 amMDW-SNA
7h 50m1 stop
Southwest Logo
7:25 pm - 5:05 amSNA-MDW
7h 40m1 stop
$289Southwest
Find Deal
Tue, Aug 12 - Mon, Aug 18
Southwest Logo
6:25 am - 11:45 amMDW-SNA
7h 20m2 stops
Southwest Logo
3:25 pm - 12:05 amSNA-MDW
6h 40m1 stop
$294Southwest
Find Deal
Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Chicago to Santa Ana

 
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
American Airlines

Main Cabin Extra offers early boarding and complimentary alcoholic drinks for a small fee.


Download the American Airlines app for access to onboard entertainment content.

United Airlines

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


Purchase Priority Boarding to ensure overhead bin space, placing you in Zone 2.

Airports
ORD

For a quicker commute to downtown Chicago, take the CTA Blue Line train from ORD, which runs 24 hours and avoids traffic delays.

Read more about ORDby Stefanie Waldek
SNA

At SNA, rideshare pick-up zones are clearly marked outside terminals, making it easy to find your ride upon arrival.

Read more about SNAby Esther Carlstone
Our travel experts
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
Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on United Airlines and ORD

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
Esther Carlstone

Esther Carlstone

Expert on SNA

Esther Carlstone

Esther Carlstone

Esther Carlstone is a travel and food writer based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in publications such as Travel + Leisure, Lonely Planet, Forbes, Tripadvisor, Insider, and more.

Read more
Useful Info

KAYAK's insights & trends for Chicago to Santa Ana flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Chicago to Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana?

What is the cheapest Chicago to Santa Ana 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 Santa Ana.

Our data shows that the cheapest route for a return flight from Chicago to Santa Ana cost $269 and was between Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) and Santa Ana (SNA). On average, the best prices are found if you fly this route. The average price for a return flight for this route is $269.

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

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

When flying from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana), you should consider leaving on a Wednesday and avoid Sundays if you are looking for the best rates. For your return to Chicago, you’ll find the best rates on Tuesdays and the most expensive ones on Sundays.

What is the cheapest month to fly from Chicago to Santa Ana?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Chicago to Santa Ana, 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 Santa Ana is May, where tickets cost $349 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and March, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $498 and $475 respectively.

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

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 $324 on average.

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

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 Santa Ana, 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 Santa Ana, you should book around 4 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 14 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Low seasonJanuary
High seasonDecember
Cheapest flight$62
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 6% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 28% increase in price.
Flight from Chicago O'Hare Airport to John Wayne (Santa Ana)

When to book flights from Chicago to Santa Ana

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Chicago to Santa Ana 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana)

  • What is the cheapest flight from Chicago to Santa Ana?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Chicago to Santa Ana was $62 for a one-way ticket and $125 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Chicago and John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    No, a passport isn't needed to fly from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana). However, local authorities might ask for an official ID.

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    When flying out of Chicago you will be using one of these airports: Chicago Midway or Chicago O'Hare Intl. You will be landing at Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty.

  • Which airlines offer Wi-Fi service onboard planes from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    American Airlines, and Alaska Airlines offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana) flight route.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    The Boeing 737 MAX 8 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana) flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    oneworld, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Chicago and John Wayne (Santa Ana), with oneworld being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    There are nonstop flights from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana) on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Chicago to Santa Ana, Alaska Airlines or Southwest?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Chicago to Santa Ana are Alaska Airlines and Southwest. With an average price for the route of $434 and an overall rating of 8.0, Alaska Airlines is the most popular choice. Southwest is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $493 and an overall rating of 8.0.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    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 John Wayne (Santa Ana).

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to John Wayne (Santa Ana) 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

    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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) 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 Santa Ana

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $273 or less one-way and $292 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Chicago to John Wayne (Santa Ana)?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from Chicago to Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty.
Find which airlines fly direct from Chicago to Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Chicago to Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty

Monday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Friday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty to Chicago

Monday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Tuesday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Wednesday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Thursday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Friday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Saturday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

Sunday

American Airlines, United Airlines

American Airlines, United Airlines

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Chicago to Santa Ana

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Chicago to Santa Ana. 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 Santa Ana? 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
Alaska AirlinesOverall score based on 10000 reviews
7.1Food
7.1Entertainment
8.5Crew
7.8Comfort
8.1Boarding
Airline reviews

There was a delay, then we were boarded, then deboarded, then waited another hour for a new flight, then boarded again and arrived 2 hours later than expected while traveling with 3 young children.

2.0 MediocreDaniel, Jul 2025SEA - BUR
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

There was a delay, then we were boarded, then deboarded, then waited another hour for a new flight, then boarded again and arrived 2 hours later than expected while traveling with 3 young children.

As always to close confinement for passengers not in upgrades. I like that you still get carry on and personal bag.

I purchased the internet during the flight and it stopped working after 1 hour, so I barely got to use it.

10 hour delay. Fuel spill. Crew had to drive to Indianapolis to a get a plane. The longest day of travel ever. Poor service.Little to no communication.

I had a negative experience, the flight delay was very long, I didn't like it

Original flight was canceled, and the automatically booked second flight was immediately delayed. I arrived about 4 hours later than planned with only a $12 meal voucher that didn't fully cover a sandwich at airport prices.

Flight was delayed 5 hours. Missed connecting flight. Very little apology or attempt to make anything better. Got a $150 credit for next flight. There won’t be another flight. First time on Alaska - last time. Keep your credit. Should have done something more

So much better coming back to Seattle than my trip TO Chicago. This crew actually communicated with the passengers!! Rebecca, one of the crew, stopped and visited with me about sign language. She should get a bonus of some kind!! She's a very neat gal!! It was still warm inside the plane, but it was packed! I still think you could do better than those teeny tiny pretzels! These were spicy and tasted terrible! All in all, still a better ride coming home. Go Seahawks!!

Arrival delay waiting for another flight to be towed and deboarded

Waited for an hour to take off with no reason for delay.

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.

It was great, I’m very grateful for the pilots and crew flight attendants for everything.

Evidently, my seat had the only broken TV. I couldn’t plug it in, get it to come on, or watch anything, and of course, no one could fix it while we were on the plane. The service was good and the boarding was quick

I was charged for my daughters bag when I am supposed to receive two free checked bags with my United Explorer card.

The schedule to Moline changed 5 times. The gate changed 6 times. That is a pathetic way to run an airline. No wonder that no one in our company flies on United Express to or from Moline. Changes happen most of the time. I learned my lesson on this trip…never again!

Flight was great. Efficient boarding. Short flight. Early arrival. Friendly flight crew. The entertainment system did not work well. Could not access it until the aircraft reached 10K feet or more. Lots of glitches.

A bit rush for transit. Food and entertainment are not available

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 flight was scheduled for about 6:05 departure. There were 11 gate changes from 4-7pm and the flight was 3 hours delayed due to operational issues. The plane taxied around the airport for about half an hour before stopping to be de-iced. It would have been nice if we were alerted of the plan to de-ice prior to the 30 minute drive around the airport. The flight attendant was friendly, which was the only redeeming thing about this flight. As a former flight attendant for United, I was extremely disappointed.

Delays took 2hours and thirty minutes making me miss my connecting flight and make me sit in the Chicago airport for 9 hours

After a two hour delay, my flight was CANCELLED! No pilot available. Such BS.

Amazing food, great staff, with one noticable detail missing ...but no seat entertainment in any of aircraft ...I am not a fan

I wish American Airlines would change the airline industry by loading the plane back to front instead of front to back. Planes would board so much more smoothly and quickly.

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.

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

The flight times got delayed multiple times due to weather which is understandable, but later the time got prepared 30min. Made to the flight barely but got stressed too much.

Boarding was a breeze, however, two of the flights that I boarded with Spirit did not have Wi-Fi available.

Very good. Nothing more or less than expected. No complaints.

My experience with the spirit as a first time it was OK, but the seats need a little cushion, the problem I had the most impacted me was when checking in the scales were so off and wrong. It will tell that you would have more weight, which was not true. The scale was say that it had Thirty Eight Pounds, when get in the labels when we send the luggage into the band. It says that it was overweight. I really really dislike that because the scales are not accurate. If I use Spirit and I have that issue again. That will be my last time flying with the spirit, even though I like so much to service the planes, and everything else

hahaha we are delayed for one hour plus.. but thx we arrived San Diego safe

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.

Very dissatisfied with spirit airlines after buying my ticket's they cancelled our flights with no reasoning.

Unclear pricing; ended up being charged an extra $52 just to get onboard

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

Late, terrible communication, horrible planning of passenger seating until the literal last minute. One of the worst flying experiences of my life. Y'all suck

Both legs of the flight were changed. The day of the flight and length of the trip.

First of all, we never got on the connecting flight to Denver. They delayed our flight for two hours. If we would have gotten on that flight, we would have been stuck in Denver for 13 hours. So we re- routed our flight for a straight through flight to Oklahoma two days later. THEN, they delayed that flight for two hours. After that we were able to finally get on our flight and come home. Frontier Airlines - one of the worst airlines I have ever been on.

Terrible communication with weather delay, lost baggage, near impossible to reach customer service

My tickets got canceled on me by your site and I didn't have a flight. Then you kept sending me emails on the status of q flight I didn't have tickets for.

The delay was ridiculous because nary a word escaped from the gate attendant regarding our flight status. It was a complete joke.

The crew was mostly okay. The flight attendant who answered our questions was curt and unhelpful unfortunately. He seemed upset and I understand having off days.

Very bad! No good service delayed my second connection flight

They canceled flight. Hard to believe there was even a plane incoming for us to get on

Plane was down graded and I lost my uncharged exit row with more leg room. No mention or offer of refund from podium. Flight attendant was nice to explain this happens often and that I could request a refund via online form submission. I did this and have heard nothing back.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Chicago to Santa Ana

Information on your arrival and departure airports

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