SNA - CHI

$171 Find Cheap Flights from John Wayne (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 5/29. 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago.
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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$315
Typical prices: $487-$323
United Airlines
Wed 5/27Sat 5/30
SNA - ORD • Non-stop
Cheapest non-stop
$329
Typical prices: $472-$298
American Airlines
Fri 7/17Tue 7/21
SNA - ORD • Non-stop
Advice from real travelers
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
Cheapest • from $315 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 8.0 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
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Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with American Airlines and United Airlines. Average duration is 4h 18m
Direct flights
Direct flights
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Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Top routes
Cheapest
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Avoid delays
Most punctual • 95% on-time
Best time • Fewest delays
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $209 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 5h 55m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 5 weeks in advance save around 29% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
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When to travel
Cheapest • 55% price drop
Most popular
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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

Wed, May 27 - Sat, May 30
United Airlines Logo
2:10 pm - 8:26 pm
SNA
-
ORD
4h 16mnonstop
United Airlines Logo
5:00 am - 9:07 am
ORD
-
SNA
6h 07m
1 stop
$315United Airlines
Wed, May 20 - Sun, May 24
United Airlines Logo
3:35 pm - 12:45 am
SNA
-
ORD
7h 10m
1 stop
United Airlines Logo
7:58 pm - 10:32 pm
ORD
-
SNA
4h 34mnonstop
$319United Airlines
Tue, Jun 9 - Fri, Jun 12
Multiple Airlines Logo
3:21 pm - 9:45 pm
SNA
-
ORD
4h 24mnonstop
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:22 am - 3:39 pm
ORD
-
SNA
8h 17m
1 stop
$320Multiple Airlines
Thu, May 14 - Wed, May 20
Multiple Airlines Logo
6:48 pm - 7:45 pm
SNA
-
RFD
22h 57m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:55 pm - 3:35 pm
RFD
-
SNA
20h 40m
1 stop
$321Multiple Airlines
Wed, May 13 - Fri, May 15
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:05 am - 7:03 pm
SNA
-
ORD
8h 58m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:37 pm - 9:09 am
ORD
-
SNA
13h 32m
1 stop
$321Multiple Airlines
Wed, May 27 - Sat, May 30
Southwest Logo
9:45 am - 8:20 pm
SNA
-
MDW
8h 35m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
5:10 am - 9:40 am
MDW
-
SNA
6h 30m
1 stop
$323Southwest
Mon, May 18 - Wed, May 20
Frontier Logo
4:20 pm - 6:39 am
SNA
-
ORD
12h 19m
2 stops
Frontier Logo
9:37 pm - 9:09 am
ORD
-
SNA
13h 32m
1 stop
$323Frontier
Sat, May 16 - Wed, May 20
Frontier Logo
9:54 am - 8:32 pm
SNA
-
ORD
8h 38m
1 stop
Frontier Logo
9:37 pm - 12:19 pm
ORD
-
SNA
16h 42m
2 stops
$327Frontier
Wed, May 27 - Sat, May 30
Southwest Logo
9:45 am - 8:10 pm
SNA
-
MDW
8h 25m
2 stops
Southwest Logo
6:55 am - 10:50 am
MDW
-
SNA
5h 55m
1 stop
$328Southwest
Thu, May 28 - Sat, May 30
Alaska Airlines Logo
5:58 pm - 6:20 am
SNA
-
ORD
10h 22m
1 stop
Alaska Airlines Logo
7:49 pm - 10:08 am
ORD
-
SNA
16h 19m
1 stop
$329Alaska Airlines
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.

How much is a round-trip flight from Santa Ana, California to Chicago?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Santa Ana, California to Chicago departing in May.

What is the cheapest John Wayne (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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago costs $329 on the route between John Wayne (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 John Wayne (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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago is March, where tickets cost $72 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are January and February, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $269 and $220 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from John Wayne (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.

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 $475 on average.

How far in advance should I book a flight from John Wayne (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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago, you should book around 5 weeks before departure, which saves you about 29% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 6 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.
Our travel experts
Harriet Baskas

Harriet Baskas

Expert on American Airlines

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.

Stefanie Waldek

Stefanie Waldek

Expert on United Airlines and ORD

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.

Esther Carlstone

Esther Carlstone

Expert on SNA

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.

Good to know

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flight$171
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 3% increase in price.
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 7% lower on average.
Flight from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago Midway 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago was $171 for a one-way ticket and $315 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?

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

  • 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago, Southwest or Alaska Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago are Southwest and Alaska Airlines. With an average price for the route of $462 and an overall rating of 8.0, Southwest is the most popular choice. Alaska Airlines is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $557 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 John Wayne (Santa Ana) to Chicago

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $300 or less one-way and $448 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 John Wayne (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
SouthwestOverall score based on 4314 reviews
8.1Boarding
7.0Food
8.6Crew
8.0Comfort
7.5Entertainment
Airline reviews

The entire experience from boarding to landing was amazing! The crew were very friendly. Will definitely be back.

10.0 Excellentlarry, Apr 2026
LGB - PHX
Read more Southwest reviews

The entire experience from boarding to landing was amazing! The crew were very friendly. Will definitely be back.

no service at all due to turbulence. they should've at least given us snacks, there were only 10 people on the entire flight.

Delayed flight, lack of information, boarding process is a mess as is the carryon luggage causing issues when leaving the plane….just a poor experience.

Comfortable. Easy. No problems. Just wish they had gf options for snacks.

The crew was very kind and made going to Hawaii relaxing and fun to look forward to! Thank you Southwest for a pleasant flight!

For the first time in a long time, the Wi-Fi actually worked the entire flight! The flight crew was amazing as usual.

Great flight. I didn't get a drink because I was asleep whole on the flight.

Terrible. Even though there’s assigned seating now, they are still the slowest boarding airline of anyone.

It was good from LAX to Phoenix, But the connection in Phoenix to Tulsa was not that great. The staff on both flights were great. The choice of free entertainment was ok nothing to brag about. The 45 min delay because of some electrical issue wasn't great from Phoenix to Tulsa. We sat there with hardly any air, The seat I had was between windows so the side of the plane pushed in on you. My being a bigger man it then made the seating area uncomfortable. The seats on the plane had no power to connect to recharge your phone or anything. I would recommend that they should look into a slot or clamp to hold your phone to enjoy while watching the entertainment choices hands-free. Also make it possible to raise the inner seat by the window be able to raise the arm rest up to make more room for larger people to set more comfortably. I would also say other then that stop price gouging the airfare or nickel and diming everything. Not fair for people having to fly for emergencies and be paying for higher prices due to the season or holidays. Your making your money either way and the cost of flying is still going to be the same regardless if there's 100 people or 200 people.

Love them will get a Southwest card to track my points and keep flying with them. My family and I were pleased with the services.

Agent could not provide me a boarding pass for the second leg of my flights - yet with a partner airline. Not understood.

I had to change my flight last minute due to a medical emergency. Their agent was compassionate and extremely helpful. This airlines really cares about making travel, for fun, work, or an emergency a customer-focused experience. Thank you!

More efficient with checking lines and boarding/checking bags when needed.

They were really helpful with every question and my kids had never been on a plane and the staff made them feel comfortable

On time, friendly and professional staff and crew Very nice new terminal in Spokane

Wi-Fi cut out for a bit, then resumed. Otherwise flawless flight.

I'm not sure if you are going to ask me about the check in process. I could not get my boarding pass, so I had to stop at the American desk before security. I also had a difficult time downloading the app with the confirmation code for the two flights.

Worst first/business class I have ever flown after 75 years on planes. Barely acceptable seats, terrible food, uninterested attendants, unavailable WiFi. I’ll never fly this airline again.

You need categories to denote when food and entertainment are not available.

Dropping off of the checked bags took way longer than it should have. The agent for the pre-tagged and ready to drop off line was gone and didn't come back for about 15 minutes. The other bag check lines were barely moving. Agents were standing around and not much was getting done. Everything else about the flight was great.

Booked through Kayak Business, had a seat in middle and towards back due to booking rate, not comfortable.

Standard flight with a drinks and a snack- overall very quick flight. The flight attendants were very strict, bordered on rude.

Delayed - weather wasn't bad at either end. Also sat on tarmac in ORD.

boarded early to only find out that flight would sit at gate for 45 min to an hour. Landed in chicago and sat on runway for over an hour before got to gate. Total delay was extensive for a 45 min flight door to door.

The flight was significantly delayed. The inbound flight from EWR was delayed departing because of mechanical problems. My original departure from CLT was 5:28 pm but due to the delay of the inbound flight, after arrival, deplaning, cleaning, boarding, we did not push back from the gate until 9:00 pm. Once in the air, the flight was smooth and what was originally supposed to be an arrival in ORD at 7:30 pm local time turned out to be 9:35 pm.

The flight I was supposed to be on was supposed to take off at 1:50 from State College. It was delayed over and over and over again until somehow I had to rebook on a flight that was supposed to have left State College at 8 am that morning but didn't end up taking off until almost 6 pm. Not only was this completely unacceptable, the "token from United" was a 15 dollar meal voucher that has to be used by today. I would personally like some miles added to my account for this inconvenience. I was in transit for 8 hours from the time I arrive at State College Aiport to when I got home. I was supposed to be home at 3 pm and I returned at 8 pm. Unacceptable. I have not been on an on Time united flight in nearly 5 years.

newer aircraft, ability to connect my headset via blue tooth for entertainment.

Very comfortable flight, snacks and drinks were good, good communication from crew. Could have used a little more information on timing of boarding for group 5

Great flight. Got to watch a movie. Smooth flight and early arrival at ORD.

It was better than excellent. The staff in Mason City were great. The young woman that pushed my wheelchair did more than could be expected of her. She came from India 17 years ago. I don't remember her name.

It was good, the staff was great, and the food, was as usual, tea and biscuit. Bathroom was clean, and the plane was clean as well.

Very good I can’t complain one bit. Thank you American Airlines for making my flight enjoyable and safe!

The staff and service on American Airlines were truly outstanding. I had requested wheelchair assistance for my mother due to her knee issues, and the team went above and beyond every step of the way—from boarding in Boston to our arrival in Chicago. Their care, professionalism, and attentiveness made the entire experience smooth and stress-free. I’m very grateful for the support they provided.

The new planes (American Eagle) are beautiful and especially comfortable. The flight attendants are consistently professional and courteous. And, while it may seem inconsequential, the new liquid tube of coffee creamer—in contrast to the powdered coffee creamer—makes all the difference in a cup of coffee.

I'm not sure American is capable of on-time arrivals and departures. When you land at ORD, you almost always get held on the tarmac because your gate is still occupied. I may have missed my connection, but that ended up up being significantly delayed as well. Once again, I finally got home well after midnight.

Crew at the gate was very crabby and not at all polite. The plane was very hot the entire flight. And the seat cushion was very worn out.

The staff are very, very professional. It's what flying should feel like.

Flight was delayed half hour before boarding, but when I checked flight aware the plane that would Pick us up had a delay of more than an hour. AA should let us know in advance to avoid waiting several hours in the airport

Delays with no explanation. It could have been handled better.

Jill was the flight attendant in first class she was fabulous!! Best flight attendant I have had in years.!! And I fly every other week. Other can learn from her!!

My first time experience with Spirit Air was not good at all.The reason i did not know to cancel 24Hrs before flight depature you do charge cancellation fee. It's ridiculous policy.Actually you should provide full voucher instead of charging cancellation fee. Confirmation Code# ZNVPHG Thanks Much , Rita S

That this is my second time the they cancel flights and they always wait until the last minute to let people know

Spirit is awful. Do not fly spirit. Nothing but delays, cancellations.

Nothing. We didn’t even have a pilot until one hour after our flight was set to depart and now we are waiting for a gate on a very hot packed aircraft. Spirit has lost its goddamn minds and we will never fly again. On the way down the delay went from 5 minutes to 6 hours to cancelled.

Delayed 11 hours with two being on our destinations tarmac, no compensation or refund and was told I would actually get charged a $200 cancellation fee if I decided to switch airlines for my return flight. For their inconvenience they gave a $10 meal voucher to split between two people in a airport.

Like Spirit but bad that you have to pay for water 🙃

If there are delays, it takes less than a minute for a Spirit employee to make an announcement. It’s very simple.

For a change, friendly staff at check-in and in flight.

Delayed both in takeoff and landing, trash plane no amenities, I've said it before but I'll never fly Spirit again.

It’s was a cheap flight and they got us there safely. It’s just their whole business model that make the experience “meh.” They make you paranoid about whether your personal item is too big. They make you paranoid about being crammed into a middle seat at the back of the plane. They purposely cram people together leaving multiple rows completely empty and even after the door closes the FA’s announce that everyone has to sit in their assigned seat. We knew what we were buying and in that regard we got a cheap and safe flight but it felt like they do their best to take any enjoyment out of the experience. That’s all on management, not the crew.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports