SNA - CHI

$144 Find Cheap Flights from Santa Ana to Chicago

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Santa Ana to Chicago departing on 3/11. 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 Chicago

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Santa Ana to Chicago.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from Santa Ana to Chicago.
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$269
Typical prices: $349-$628
American Airlines
Thu 1/8Sun 1/11
SNA - ORD • Non-stop
Cheapest non-stop
$269
Typical prices: $349-$614
American Airlines
Thu 1/29Sun 2/1
SNA - ORD • Non-stop
Our travelers' advice
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
United's Economy Plus offers extra legroom benefits.
SNA's quick security lines ensure a smooth departure.
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Expert advice
Top airlines
American Airlines
Cheapest • from $269 (round-trip)
Alaska Airlines
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Top routes
SNA-ORD
Cheapest
SNA-ORD
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
4 weeks
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 19% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
August
Cheapest • 15% price drop
June
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
KAYAK searches 100s of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Chicago!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Expert advice
Flight Deals

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

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

Thu, Jan 8 - Sun, Jan 11
American Airlines Logo
11:42 am - 5:52 pm
SNA
-
ORD
4h 10mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
10:27 am - 1:04 pm
ORD
-
SNA
4h 37mnonstop
$269American Airlines
Fri, Jan 23 - Fri, Jan 30
Spirit Airlines Logo
6:45 am - 2:17 pm
SNA
-
ORD
29h 32m3 stops
Spirit Airlines Logo
8:43 pm - 8:57 pm
ORD
-
SNA
26h 14m3 stops
$270Spirit Airlines
Wed, Jan 28 - Sat, Jan 31
Spirit Airlines Logo
6:45 am - 11:22 am
SNA
-
ORD
26h 37m3 stops
Spirit Airlines Logo
5:32 pm - 8:57 pm
ORD
-
SNA
29h 25m3 stops
$271Spirit Airlines
Fri, Jan 9 - Sun, Jan 11
Frontier Logo
10:30 am - 6:58 pm
SNA
-
ORD
6h 28m1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:15 am - 2:11 pm
ORD
-
SNA
9h 56m1 stop
$272Frontier
Wed, Jan 7 - Sun, Jan 11
United Airlines Logo
8:00 am - 5:06 pm
SNA
-
ORD
7h 06m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
7:48 pm - 10:24 pm
ORD
-
SNA
4h 36mnonstop
$275United Airlines
Wed, Jan 7 - Sun, Jan 11
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:45 am - 5:10 pm
SNA
-
ORD
8h 25m1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:49 pm - 12:46 pm
ORD
-
SNA
17h 57m1 stop
$276Multiple Airlines
Fri, Jan 23 - Sun, Jan 25
United Airlines Logo
7:00 am - 2:55 pm
SNA
-
ORD
5h 55m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
9:04 am - 11:51 am
ORD
-
SNA
4h 47mnonstop
$279United Airlines
Sun, Feb 22 - Thu, Feb 26
Frontier Logo
11:22 am - 12:20 am
SNA
-
ORD
10h 58m1 stop
Frontier Logo
6:00 am - 4:40 pm
ORD
-
SNA
12h 40m1 stop
$282Frontier
Thu, Jan 22 - Sun, Feb 1
Southwest Logo
2:15 pm - 9:50 pm
SNA
-
MDW
5h 35m1 stop
Southwest Logo
12:50 pm - 5:40 pm
MDW
-
SNA
6h 50m1 stop
$284Southwest
Fri, Jan 9 - Sun, Jan 11
Southwest Logo
6:40 pm - 5:05 am
SNA
-
MDW
8h 25m1 stop
Southwest Logo
12:30 pm - 6:55 pm
MDW
-
SNA
8h 25m2 stops
$294Southwest
Booking Insights

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

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Santa Ana to Chicago to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest Santa Ana to Chicago flight route?

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

The cheapest return flight from Santa Ana to Chicago costs $269 on the route between Santa Ana (SNA) and Chicago O'Hare Intl Airport (ORD). It is also the most popular route.

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

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

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

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Santa Ana to Chicago, 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 Santa Ana to Chicago is August, where tickets cost $335 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are March and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $480 and $478 respectively.

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

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.

No, with an average price for the route of $441, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Santa Ana to Chicago, 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 Santa Ana to Chicago, you should book around 4 weeks before departure, which saves you about 19% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 10 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Santa Ana to Chicago

 
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.
Airlines
American Airlines

Consider Main Cabin Extra for early boarding and complimentary drinks on longer flights.


Download the American Airlines app for in-flight entertainment access on domestic flights.

United Airlines

Opt for Economy Plus for up to six inches more legroom than standard economy.


Purchase Priority Boarding to avoid gate-checking your carry-on bag.

Airports
SNA

SNA offers quick security lines, rarely exceeding 10 minutes, making it ideal for business travelers seeking a stress-free departure.

ORD

Take the CTA Blue Line from ORD to downtown Chicago for a reliable, 45-minute journey unaffected by traffic.

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

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$144
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 2% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 4% lower on average.
Flight from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago O'Hare Airport

When to book flights from Santa Ana to Chicago

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

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Santa Ana to Chicago was $144 for a one-way ticket and $269 for a round-trip.

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

    A passport is not required to fly from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago.

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

    On your way to Chicago, you’ll fly out from Santa Ana J. Wayne/Orange Cnty. You’ll be landing in one of Chicago’s 2 airports: Chicago Midway or Chicago O'Hare Intl.

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

    All the following airlines offer inflight Wi-Fi service on the John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago flight route: JetBlue, American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Finnair, Delta, and British Airways.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Santa Ana to Chicago are Alaska Airlines and Southwest. With an average price for the route of $565 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 $446 and an overall rating of 7.9.

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

    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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago.

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

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

    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 Chicago with an airline and back to John Wayne (Santa Ana) with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago?

    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 Chicago from John Wayne (Santa Ana) 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 Santa Ana to Chicago

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $211 or less one-way and $376 or less round-trip.

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

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

Direct departures

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

Direct returns

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

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

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Santa Ana to Chicago. 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 Santa Ana to Chicago? 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 11465 reviews
7.1Food
7.8Comfort
8.5Crew
8.1Boarding
7.0Entertainment
Airline reviews

See previous. It was the flight from Honolulu to Kapalua that was cancelled.

8.0 ExcellentEvie, Dec 2025
SAN - HNL
Read more Alaska Airlines reviews

See previous. It was the flight from Honolulu to Kapalua that was cancelled.

The flight attendants were excellent and I was in the back of the plane. Much much better than recent JetBlue experiences on that route and better than Delta on that route.

I’m not sure there is anything that can be improved, even the cost was fantastic.

Poor. They should have given me a row with more room and instead they put me in a middle seat with two strangers next to me

They were so kind to us! The entire staff were so good to us when we had our service dog join our trip and we couldn't be more grateful!

Larger seats and more room would elevate the experience. Otherwise, it was good!

Flight crew and flight were good. But it departed two hours late.

They changed our flight from a one stop 3 hour layover to a non-stop. Saved us hours and got us there sooner.

The ground crew did not supply drink or snacks during the layover in SFO. So there weren't many options. Otherwise, it was all great.

No accommodation or credit offered for cancelled layover flight to Eugene from portland

The boarding and seat assignment system no longer works for me, but I know it is being replaced. Otherwise, I am good with the overall experience.

The lead steward kept singing about "San Francisco" and hotel California---more annoying than humorous....needs work. Flight was smooth and on time.

San Diego airport is brand new, spacious, airy and very smooth checkin at SW baggage drop.

It was rough. The staff was unprofessional, the choice of on board drinks terrible, it was cramped in space at every airport, they always ran out of overhead bin space so they pressured people to check bags for free or we couldn’t leave on the plane— so I did check my bag to help, and they nearly lost my bag. My bag did not arrive on the luggage belt, another man on my flight and I had to waste our time going to the baggage office to search for our bags. I would only fly southwest again if it was my last choice. Also, my flights were consistently delayed over and over again— at one point they straight up told us we were waiting for the pilot to arrive.

Crew could have been friendlier, maybe I'm spoiled by SW crews. In flight wifi was good. Would be nice to have more food offerings on a 4 plus hour flight

Ever since Southwest starting charging for bags, passengers don't want to pay to check their bags, so the gate agents have to beg people to check their roller bags now because there's "not enough space". This was a terrible business move by Southwest.

Sacrament staff are always polite and helpful. Airport is easy to maneuver and boarding is straightforward.

Excellent. Would encourage Southwest to keep current boarding procedures with free style seating. Makes for a fantastic experience

As always, the entire Southwest experience was wonderful, from online booking to flight to baggage retrieval. Very grateful.

The weather could have been better. There was a 40 minute ATC delay in SFO because of marine fog and a micro cell storm delayed landing and take-off at Nashville. The gate was changed 5 minutes from boarding from gate B3 to gate C23 at Nashville airport.

The flight was on time. I generally don’t drink or eat on short flights and the seats were good and the flight attendants were friendly. That’s all I expect

It was nice to have gotten up upgraded to first class with a meal on a three hour flight

Very bad! They kept delaying my flight and wouldn’t do anything about it

Door to door, the crew and staff were amazing. It was a stressful travel day with delays, but they were focused on customers and doing what they could to get us to our destinations.

Flight was delayed only slightly before takeoff due to traffic control. However, the flight arrived early to ORD. Good flight. United has been very reliable for me.

Another delayed flight. When the delays exceed the duration of the flight, it’s a problem.

After boarding the plane in Chicago, the passengers were told that there was a technical problem with the plane. Passengers remained on the plane as they tried to fix the problem. After what was probably an hour passengers were told that there was a need to change planes as the problem was not solved. Passengers disembarked and boarded another plane. After taxing to the runway and waiting for takeoff, passengers were told that owing to the thunderstorm the flight was unable to take off but would try and reroute. After some time passengers were told there wasn't enough fuel for the new route and the plane had to return to the gate for additional fuel. after another log delay the flight got underway. On the plane there was food, drinks, ice or entertainment. We were a glass of water, which appeared rationed. Flight arrived about 5 hours late. The pilot was fantastic and communicated with the passengers throughout the ordeal.

Better WiFi. I cannot understand that in 2025, United is so behind on a technology that is now a necessity and still painfully unreliable, slow and keeps disconnecting.

Trip was great. A wild landing in Ottawa with the wind and rain, but the pilot did a great job. Always love flying United.👍

Excellent experience. Starting with the agent at the Premier bag drop who noticed I was very early for my scheduled flight and offered to rebook me on an earlier flight with my seat preference. She would not let me leave the counter until she knew that all of the changes and new boarding pass showed up on my United app. At the gate, the flight boarded quickly such that we departed early and the flight was smooth. We arrived 20 minutes early at ORD and I was able to be home in time for dinner. One of the best flights I've had.

Awful. They won’t help me with anything. I booked on American but they abdicated to Iberia. The ticket was overpriced. Everything negative

I enjoyed the extra leg room compared to other airlines. The first stewards made my daughter’s birthday special by giving her an extra snack. Then the last one coming home from Chicago to Appleton made our night really enjoyable Thanks for making our trip enjoyable

It was good..clean, comfy seat. Friendly warm welcoming crew. Was able to check my cabin luggage at the gate which I was able to pickup in a decent time from baggage claim. The app gave all updates from delays to baggage claim info. Overall smooth flight.

It was a typical flight. We had a delay which seems to be the normality now. And we had no in flight service due to conditions.

After we landed we sat on the tarmac for 1.5 hours waiting to get to our gate. Ridiculous.

Terrible. Flight delayed for more than 8 hours with only a $12 meal voucher provided for the inconvenience. The airplane did not have breaks on arrival yet they still made us go through the motions and board on time knowing we could not take off then sit for 40+ minutes before having to get of the time. A complete waste of my time. I cannot believe they can stay business with these shenanigans. I’ll avoid this company like the plague moving forward as the lack of accountability is disgraceful.

This was the best 2 flights I have had with American out of SGF. Great crew both flights.

Excellent - explanations were clear staff was nice and flight was comfortable

Lost bag and 2 days no word leaving for cruise no clothes or stuff

Any flight to ORD after about 2pm this summer has been challenging. Flight was delayed getting in (coming from ORD) and that led to it not leaving before a ground stop due to lightening before they could fuel the plane, and so forth. They made up some time but we were still late in arriving at ORD, and that led to missed connections.

Flight was on time. Friendly crew. Gate agents in the other hand were very unfriendly.

Bought round trip tickets. Ended up upgrading to first class. Both flights were new planes but hadn’t been equipped with WiFi and there were no charging ports at my seat despite it being new and first class accommodations.

Like: seats that don't move; fast boarding; engaging crew; low-prices; individual gate at LGA; access to restrooms at the gate Dislike: no water on the flight

To be Honest they canceled my flight and didn't have other options. Until 4 says later and I have a 2yr old very disappointed.

The whole thing everything was poorly managed poorly handled spirit doent deserve to be in business period.

Nothing. It was delayed three times and then canceled and we had to drive 15 hours to get home and rent a car.

Excellent experience when I am looking for a budget airline where the main expectation is getting me from point A to point B with no frills.

Had to deplane for undisclosed mechanical issue. Landed in Chicago 3 hours late. Food voucher at FLL came just as we were recording. Crew and agents were troopers--better than Spirit last night.

We spent 5 1/2 hours at Ohare cause our flight was diverted cause of rain in the area. We missed appts that we had set on Tuesday and cause we were flying back the next day on the 7am flight we had no time to reschedule anything. Other airlines were landing and taking off fine having no issues. It was only Spirit. Very frustrating flight and I understand why the flights are only around 25-30% full.

Just total easy flight experience!! What could you do better..? Hmmm..? There was nothing I can remember. Spirit was a far more comfortable and easy process than American, United & Delta. I'll always look for Spirit and I've told a few people about, since flying this past trip!! I'm a SPIRIT FAN!! Thank You, SPIRIT AIRLINES!! Very, VERY well done, 100%!! See you...SOON!! -Best, Linda R.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports