$269 Find Cheap Flights from Columbia to Chicago - Compare and Save

Among airlines operating Columbia to Chicago flights:

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

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

2 airlines operate flights between Columbia and Chicago. The airlines offering nonstop flights on this route include:

• United Airlines
• American Airlines

Flights from Columbia to Chicago usually depart from Columbia Metropolitan (CAE) and may arrive at several airports in Chicago area, including Chicago Midway (MDW), Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) and Chicago Greater Rockford (RFD).

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

• 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.

Two cabin classes are available on flights from Columbia to Chicago:

• Economy Class
• First Class

On this route, layover flights are cheaper than nonstop options on average. Layover fares average $243 round-trip via Fort Lauderdale (FLL), compared to $379 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 Columbia to Chicago most commonly connect through:

• Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) - 65% of one-stop connections
• Charlotte Douglas (CLT) - 24% of one-stop connections
• Washington, D.C. Reagan-National (DCA) - 7% of one-stop connections
• Fort Lauderdale (FLL) - 2% of one-stop connections

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

On the Columbia to Chicago route, being flexible with your departure day can save you up to 48%. Saturday is the cheapest day at $319 round-trip on average, while Monday is the most expensive at $609: a $290 difference. Cheaper weekend fares like these are typical of routes dominated by weekday business travel.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Columbia to Chicago flights, with 60% of flights leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 20%, evening flights for 20%, and night flights for 0%.

Some of the most popular sights in Chicago are Magnificent Mile, Grant Park and River North. These are among the most viewed places in Chicago on KAYAK.

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

• Earliest: departs at 5:39 am and lands at 8:10 am
• Latest: departs at 9:37 pm and lands at 12:08 am.

The flight takes about 2h 31m.

Last-minute fares on this route - booked within 2 weeks of departure - run 27% above the route average of $374. Book 19 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

A nonstop flight from Columbia to Chicago takes 2h 31m, covering 652 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.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, round-trip prices on this route showed a wide range, from about $299 to $2,092. That means the highest observed fare was about 7x higher than the lowest one.

One-way fares from Columbia to Chicago are currently higher than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about $388, which is 25% above the typical average for this route.

Flying via Charlotte Douglas (CLT) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time at 4h 35m, compared with 4h 41m via Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) and 5h 00m via Washington, D.C. Dulles Intl (IAD).

Chicago is 1 hour behind Columbia (Central Time vs Eastern Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Since Chicago is served by multiple airports, car rental options and rates can vary depending on which one you fly into.
Near Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD) — daily rates from around $17:

· Routes Car & Truck Rentals
· Europcar
· Hertz
· Dollar
· Ace

Near Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) — daily rates from around $32:

· Hertz
· Dollar
· Budget
· Alamo
· Rent-A-Wreck

Near Chicago Greater Rockford Airport (RFD) — daily rates from around $30:

· Alamo
· Enterprise Rent-A-Car
· Budget
· Avis
· National

Round-trip flights from Columbia to Chicago range from $289 to $493, with an average of $374 over the past 12 months. Anything below $289 counts as a good deal.

American Airlines is the only airline on the Columbia to Chicago route offering in-flight Wi-Fi. Pricing depends on fare class.