Find cheap flights from Houston to Chicago - Compare and Save

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

• Earliest: departs at 5:00 am and lands at 7:47 am
• Latest: departs at 11:55 pm and lands at 2:42 am.

The flight takes about 2h 47m.

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

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

Prices vary by airline.

A nonstop flight from Houston to Chicago takes 2h 47m, 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.

Round-trip flights from Houston to Chicago range from $168 to $358, with an average of $253 over the past 12 months. Anything below $168 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within two weeks of departure) run 35% above the $253 route average. Book 12 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, layover flights are cheaper than nonstop options on average. Layover fares average $205 round-trip via Raleigh-Durham (RDU), compared to $254 for nonstop.

United Airlines is slightly above the route average for timely arrivals, while American Airlines has a lower on-time arrival rate. On-time arrival rates on Houston to Chicago flights are:

• United Airlines: 93% on time
• American Airlines: 88% on time
• Frontier: 81% on time

Overall, flights on this route are punctual 85% of the time on average.

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.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Houston to Chicago flights, with 46% of flights leaving in that window. Evening departures account for 27%, afternoon flights for 23%, and night flights for 4%.

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

• American Airlines
• JetBlue

Pricing varies by airline and fare class. Some plans are included with the ticket or loyalty program; others are paid add-ons priced by flight length.

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
• Ace
• Dollar

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 $28:

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

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

Morning flights have the fewest delays on this route, while evening departures tend to have the most.

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 Houston to Chicago route, 15% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2h 29m.

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

• Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL) - 49% of one-stop connections
• Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) - 31% of one-stop connections
• Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD) - 7% of one-stop connections
• Raleigh-Durham (RDU) - 5% of one-stop connections

Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 29% on flights from Houston to Chicago. Saturday is the cheapest departure day at $228 round-trip on average, while Monday is the most expensive at $320, a difference of $92.

Cheaper weekend fares like these are typical of routes dominated by weekday business travel.

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

• United Airlines
• American Airlines
• Southwest
• Frontier

Flying via Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time at 4h 58m, compared with 5h 44m via Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County (DTW) and 6h via Chicago O'Hare Intl (ORD).

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

Among airlines operating Houston to Chicago 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.

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 always check the fare details before booking.