SNA - CHI

$147 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 4/30. 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
$279
Overall average: $368
Spirit Airlines
Thu 5/14Tue 5/19
SNA - ORD • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$289
Typical prices: $337-$535
American Airlines
Wed 4/8Tue 4/14
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 $281 (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 12m
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 • 94% on-time
Best time • Fewest delays
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $214 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 5h 44m (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 26% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 16% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
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Flight Deals
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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, May 14 - Tue, May 19
Multiple Airlines Logo
9:00 am - 5:25 am
SNA
-
ORD
18h 25m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
1:59 pm - 5:45 pm
ORD
-
SNA
29h 46m
2 stops
$279Multiple Airlines
Mon, Apr 27 - Wed, Apr 29
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:25 am - 6:08 am
SNA
-
ORD
20h 43m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:30 am - 6:00 pm
ORD
-
SNA
12h 30m
2 stops
$280Multiple Airlines
Thu, Jun 11 - Sun, Jun 14
Spirit Airlines Logo
3:23 pm - 5:25 am
SNA
-
ORD
12h 02m
1 stop
Spirit Airlines Logo
8:52 pm - 8:05 am
ORD
-
SNA
13h 13m
1 stop
$281Spirit Airlines
Fri, May 1 - Mon, May 4
Spirit Airlines Logo
6:45 am - 5:35 am
SNA
-
ORD
20h 50m
2 stops
Spirit Airlines Logo
2:39 pm - 9:45 pm
ORD
-
SNA
9h 06m
2 stops
$283Spirit Airlines
Thu, Apr 16 - Sun, Apr 19
Spirit Airlines Logo
6:45 am - 5:35 am
SNA
-
ORD
20h 50m
2 stops
Spirit Airlines Logo
5:15 am - 9:45 pm
ORD
-
SNA
18h 30m
2 stops
$285Spirit Airlines
Thu, Jun 4 - Mon, Jun 8
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:30 am - 5:25 am
SNA
-
ORD
19h 55m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:52 pm - 3:23 pm
ORD
-
SNA
20h 31m
1 stop
$286Multiple Airlines
Thu, May 28 - Sun, May 31
Multiple Airlines Logo
7:30 am - 5:25 am
SNA
-
ORD
19h 55m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
8:52 pm - 12:19 pm
ORD
-
SNA
17h 27m
1 stop
$287Multiple Airlines
Wed, Apr 8 - Tue, Apr 14
American Airlines Logo
2:47 pm - 9:04 pm
SNA
-
ORD
4h 17mnonstop
American Airlines Logo
6:40 pm - 9:13 pm
ORD
-
SNA
4h 33mnonstop
$289American Airlines
Wed, Apr 1 - Tue, Apr 7
Southwest Logo
7:30 pm - 5:00 am
SNA
-
MDW
7h 30m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
4:00 pm - 8:55 pm
MDW
-
SNA
6h 55m
1 stop
$309Southwest
Tue, Apr 7 - Tue, Apr 14
Southwest Logo
7:40 pm - 5:00 am
SNA
-
MDW
7h 20m
1 stop
Southwest Logo
10:10 am - 5:00 pm
MDW
-
SNA
8h 50m
2 stops
$314Southwest
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 $289 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 January and March, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $452 and $449 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 $445, 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 5 weeks before departure, which saves you about 26% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 13 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$147
Best time to beat the crowds but there is an average 7% 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 Santa Ana to Chicago?

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from Santa Ana to Chicago was $147 for a one-way ticket and $279 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?

    JetBlue, American Airlines, 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 Santa Ana to Chicago, Southwest or Alaska Airlines?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Santa Ana to Chicago are Southwest and Alaska Airlines. With an average price for the route of $446 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 $562 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 $216 or less one-way and $397 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
SouthwestOverall score based on 4318 reviews
8.6Crew
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
7.0Food
8.0Comfort
Airline reviews

The problem with the seat assignments is that there were a lot of rows in the front that were empty but my row at the back was full. Just not so pleasant.

8.0 ExcellentTobin, Mar 2026
SJC - BUR
Read more Southwest reviews

The problem with the seat assignments is that there were a lot of rows in the front that were empty but my row at the back was full. Just not so pleasant.

Good but I prefer choose your own seat. With the new assigned seats they should board from the back I see no advantage to this new boarding. Just like every other airline

WiFi was not working and didn’t have a beverage service

Flight boarded late after announcing on time boarding. Flight arrived only a little late despite late departure. Had trouble connecting to WiFi

The Southwest experience has definitely taken a dive from its early days. You can no longer deferentiate from other airlines. Air travel is too expensive. Southwest is no longer budget friendly. They have lost me as a loyal customer.

The charges were ridiculous for an hour flight and the turbulence was very scary.

The seats are now more narrow. I paid for front row the seats in the front are even more narrow than before.

The wifi on the plane is great. The only issue that I have is that I prefer an aisle seat and on my trips this week, I was either in the middle or window. If we can work to secure aisle seating, I will be thrilled. Nice trip.

All good except once again bags took an hour at Midway Airport Happens all the time. Ridiculous

Great flight but super high price. Glad it was a business trip and not personal

I had a problem with my reservation and no one could help me understand what happened. I booked my flight months ago and received a confirmation email. In the confirmation email, it said that the flight would depart at 3:15 p.m. A few hours before the flight, I tried to go online and check in, and suddenly it said that the flight was leaving an hour earlier. I had to rush to get to the airport and almost didn't make it. No one could help me understand why this happened, and I'm really concerned that it might happen in the future. I would appreciate some support in this matter.

They cancelled the flight and provided no support to find another way home or how to get a refund. Links provided didn’t work and phone wait times were over eight hours. Battery on my phone couldn’t last long enough.

It was a super old plane so the first class experience was just not luxurious

signage from the upper area to the tram down 2 escalator!

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.

Check in online didn't accept my confirmation number so i could only check in with assistance at the airport and ended up with s creepy middle seat.

It was the most expensive Alaska Airlines ticket I’ve ever purchased. I had a middle seat with no legroom or space compared to any other middle seat I’ve hadThere was a silver box under the seat that took up 70% of my legroom on the most narrow 737 max the crew flat out would not help they would not help with bags they would not help with garbage there was no coffee,It was definitely not one of my better experiences on Alaska.

Wonderful. Quick boarding. Early departure and we arrived 30 minutes early at our destination. Unfortunately, when you arrive early, there is still a departing aircraft at our gate. We had to park for 30 minutes until the gate was clear. So our early arrival was not really early at the gate. Otherwise it was a quick and smooth flight. Appreciated the efficiency.

Crew was great (professional, attentive, prompt). Snacks for 4 hrs flight is deplorable.

United Airlines is my preferred airlines and I am thankful for Gary who also help support me on the phone to switch my flight literally last min.

Seated dude next to me even though lots of empty rows. But main thing was we sat on the tarmac after landing for 30 minutes because of, in the words of the dude who sat next to me, “operational incompetence”. We got changing directions about where to pick up gate checked bags. Pilot and flight attendant were awesome though.

It was a pretty standard flight... until the almost hour and a half spent on the taxi way. I get that the weather has been poor but the delay had nothing to do with the weather and more to do with a plane with several issues tying up the gate. I get that that happens from time to time but this has been EVERY flight I've been on for the past 5 years and I fly 3 to 5 times a year. This isn't just United... it's American, it's Delta. It's an issue with the entire industry. I work for UPS and packages on a cargo plane get better service than people do these days. Anymore I HATE flying.

Perfect flight. Smooth flight. Arrived 20 minutes early at destination. Excellent service.

The flights were on time which was great give. It was holiday travel season and there’d been some weather issues. The only complaint and this is every time with United is the terrible seat design. The head rest is not built for comfort and having my neck bent forward for a cross country trip reminded me while I try not to take United flights as a rule.

Everything was absolutely wonderful from check in to baggage claim. Staff was very professional and sweet. Will definitely recommend United to family and friends.

They did the one thing that really matters - got to Chicago early.

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

There was no inflight service. Once we landed we were delayed to find a gate for an hour and a half which was 1/2 the total time in the air.

The chicken wrap was tiny ($13 for what looked like a 1/3 of a normal wrap?) and disgusting.

It was good experience this time. The flight was on time.

There was a delay with the plan which cause the flight to leave later and once arrived in Chicago there was another delay and some passengers missed their connecting flights

The gate agent had a really bad attitude and refused to help me get on the standby list. She just handed me a card and said I needed to call a number. I asked her to help with the AA app on my phone and she just shrugged and said she didnt know. After a few phone calls, I eventually just went to a different gate agent on the other side of the terminal and got the help I needed.

Overall, my last three trips on American Airlines have all been either delayed or "rescheduled" due to mechanical issues. At least on delay caused me to miss two possible connecting flights each later than the first. My last option for my last connection required the assistance of the onsite service desk (O'Hare Airport). The wait time for the service desk was such that it jeopardized getting booked on the last connecting flight available for the night. Suffice it to say, my latest experiences with American Airlines have caused me extensive loss of productive business and personal time and can therefore be classified as significantly less than satisfactory.

Waiting for gate in RDU for more than 20mins is crazy.

American Airlines was great and worked very hard to change my ticket so I could get an earlier, direct flight back to Dallas. However, I was informed that Kayak made mistakes with my itinerary and classified my ticket as desiring to be on the earlier flight instead of taking the necessary step of calling AA to get me on the standby list. This ended up keeping me from being added to the standby list and delayed me getting home by 6 hours. I am happy to discuss this further with Kayak so they can correct their procedures so this won't happen again.

Waited for oxygen tanks for 30 minutes after boarding was complete.

We flew in first class. The crew did not offer drinks before the flight took off, but they treated us well during the flight. The food was excellent. There was actually too much food served, but it was nice to have all the options.

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.

I cannot effectively rate the food and drink as I had not. Otherwise, the trip was fine. The seats were nice, the crew was fine. They could smile once in a while. They all look like they were mad.

The flight was delayed for unknown reasons while other airlines weren’t. It was very frustrating.

Everything was good. On time, boarding fast, flight attendants friendly.

Spirit has always and will always stink. Absolute worst airline around.

Not seat assigned because overbooking. We could go because some people decided to give their seats.

The flights were very uncomfortable the seats don't have much leg room at all and they are pretty hard as well.

spirit delayed my first flight 9 hours and then cancelled my flight back home. Very disappointed with their service.

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

Information on your arrival and departure airports