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Cheap Flights to Illinois

Cheapest round-trip prices found by our users on KAYAK in the last 5 days
Chicago
Chicagononstop$126
Moline
Molinenonstop$159
Peoria
Peorianonstop$167
Bloomington
Bloomingtonnonstop$136
Champaign
Champaign1 stop$290
Springfield
Springfieldnonstop$136
Marion
Marionnonstop$303
Paducah
Paducahnonstop$194
Chicago
Chicagononstop$126
Moline
Molinenonstop$159
Peoria
Peorianonstop$167
Bloomington
Bloomingtonnonstop$136
Champaign
Champaign1 stop$290
Springfield
Springfieldnonstop$136
Marion
Marionnonstop$303
Paducah
Paducahnonstop$194
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights to Illinois

Get data-powered insights and trends for flights to Illinois to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest flight to Illinois?

The cheapest ticket to Illinois from the United States found in the last 5 days was to Chicago Midway Airport, at $98 round-trip. The most popular route is Atlanta (ATL) to Chicago Midway Airport (MDW) and the cheapest round-trip airline ticket found on this route in the last 5 days was $98.

How much is a flight to Illinois?

A flight to Illinois costs $411 on average. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks was $44 for the route Fort Lauderdale (FLL) to Belleville (BLV). The most popular routes on KAYAK are Dallas to Champaign which costs $614 on average, and San Francisco to Chicago, which costs $553 on average.

See prices from:

What is the cheapest month to fly from the United States to Illinois?

The cheapest month for flights from the United States to Illinois is December, when tickets cost $186 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are October and July, when the average cost of round-trip tickets is $228 and $224 respectively.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Illinois?

The cheapest time of day to fly to Illinois is generally in the evening, when round-trip flights cost $388 on average. Morning departures are around 22% more expensive than evening flights, on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Illinois is generally in the afternoon, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is $554.

How far in advance should I book a flight from the United States to Illinois?

To get a below average price on the flight from the United States to Illinois, you should book around 2 weeks before departure, which saves you about 23% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 23 weeks before departure.

Which is the cheapest airport to fly into in Illinois?

Prices will differ depending on the departure airport, but generally, the cheapest airport to fly to in Illinois is Springfield Capital Airport (SPI), with an average flight price of $164.

Good to know

Low season

January

Cheapest flight

$80
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 15% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 6% increase in price.
Flight from Fort Lauderdale to Chicago O'Hare Airport

Flights to Illinois: the best tips from KAYAK users' own experiences

Insights shared by verified travelers who flew to Illinois 
Verified travelerFlew with ITA Airways-Sep 2026
If you have a connecting flight in Chicago check which terminal it boards from and transport there asap since Chicago is a huge airport. There was a very helpful very small desk tucked away downstairs that was able to assist with getting a number of passengers on an airport shuttle. I arrived at the terminal as the connecting flight was boarding. One clue, if you don't see your flight on the screen it might be at a different terminal.
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines-Oct 2026
Check your watch carefully! I was afraid I was going to be late for my flight because I thought my watch said it was an hour later than it actually was. Also, if you need special services, like a wheelchair ride between flights, be sure you make it at the same time you make your reservation and get a confirmation for it.
Verified travelerFlew with Southwest-Sep 2026
Nothing much. just when it's time to check-in, try to check in at the exact 24 time limit window in order to get one of the earlier seats at the front of the plane
MidnightFlew with American Airlines-Oct 2026
get there a few hours early. after getting through checking find you gate an stay there.
JoanneFlew with United Airlines-Jun 2026
The runway to gate took a bit of time. So if you have a short layover pay for a seat up front .
Verified travelerFlew with American Airlines-Aug 2026
Be aware that it may take you an hour after you land before you arrive at your gate at ORD.
kelechiFlew with United Airlines-Jul 2026
Leave enough time for connecting in Chicago. It’s a very busy airport
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Aug 2026
Be prepared to have a very difficult time checking in if you are not technology savvy. I could not figure out how to check in. It made me scan with my phone to check in, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it and then an employer was there pushed buttons on the kiosk and printed up a boarding pass. Where did customer service go?! and then, we had to wait in a huge long long long line just to drop off the bag. Be certain you give yourself extra time for all of this chaos. Flying is getting worse and worse every time I fly.
Verified travelerFlew with American Airlines-Aug 2026
Rebook before boarding or you may get stuck on plane and overnight in airport
CupcakeFlew with Alaska Airlines-Apr 2026
Please bring a water bottle for hydration during the flight.
Verified travelerFlew with American Airlines-May 2026
Don’t plan on using overhead bin space if you board after group 4 on any American flights using 737’s. They are frequently full by the time the 4th group boards. And, if your carry on bag has to be checked at the gate, be sure it has nothing breakable inside, as it may not survive that process.
Verified travelerFlew with American Airlines-Apr 2026
Chicago has a enormous airport so be ready to walk and transfer to international flights by train via terminal
Dr. JosephFlew with United Airlines-Apr 2026
Always keep track of the weather at both locations and where the inbound flight is coming from.
Verified travelerFlew with American Airlines-May 2026
Arrive airport early, esp if checking bags - std procedure but vital here
Verified travelerFlew with United Airlines-Apr 2026
Make sure the flight you select has more than 3 hours as time allotted for transiting to another flight. Most of United Airlines flights get delayed and if you don’t have enough time, you’ll be missing the next flight for sure. Have extra budget for shelter expenses because most of the economy tickets does not qualify for shelter accommodation/ voucher when your flight is delayed.
YesicaFlew with United Airlines-Feb 2026
Utilize the mobile app of your airline it will give you all the updates and information you need
BillFlew with Frontier-Dec 2025
Wear comfortable clothing and make sure you layer. We went from 80o to 30o,
Thrinadh KumarFlew with United Airlines-Dec 2025
Flight is conjusted. Difficult to sleep. Carry pillows and sleep well beforeyou travel
StephenFlew with United Airlines-Jan 2026
If you're trying to make a connecting flight make sure you allow PLENTY of time between flights or be prepared to miss the next flight. Make sure to use the restroom at the last possible moment before landing because you could be sitting on the taxiway for 5 more minutes... 5 more minutes... 5 more minutes... until it's been nearly 2 hours. Don't trust the airline provided ETA provided by apps they don't update it until long after you're delayed. If someone is showing up to give you a ride, make sure they have hours to wait for you.
JeremyFlew with United Airlines-Nov 2025
Beware short connection times on flights connecting in Chicago.
DouglasFlew with American Airlines-Jun 2025
Check your app for delay notices. This notice did come out early in the morning - I failed to check it. Checking it could have saved 4 hours at the airport
Verified travelerFlew with British Airways-Jun 2025
Make sure your luggage receipts have the ID numbers on them
StaceyFlew with American Airlines-Feb 2025
Don’t be that person who holds up the plane because of your carry on. Whether putting in over bin (able to lift it on your own) or refusing to not listen when space is full and need to check it.
StephenFlew with United Airlines-Jan 2025
Don't bring a carry on roller bag. It won't fit. They will gate check it. It will take forever.
RodFlew with United Airlines-Sep 2024
Yes! Don’t reserve a flight with less than 1 1/2 hour connection time or you have a good possibility of missing your connection.
FrancisFlew with United Airlines-Sep 2024
Check the weather, or bring a. Raincoat! Being from sunny California, I forget it isn’t always sunshine in other states!
GeraldFlew with Alaska Airlines-Oct 2024
Book a flight as early in the day as possible to avoid incoming flight delays.
AdamFlew with Southwest-Oct 2024
Arriving T5 at ORD on Southwest is often a LONG walk, with no moving walkways going out, to baggage claim / pickup.
DinaFlew with United Airlines-Nov 2024
Be prepared for delays and plan to check your luggage. Overhead bins are ⅓ the size of a typical bin.
KimFlew with American Airlines-Nov 2024
Bring extra foods and buy extra drinks bring your meds
LeoFlew with United Airlines-Jun 2024
Get precheck TSA if you’re flying in early morning. Get a seat on the right side of the plane if you want to see sunrise.
AdamFlew with American Airlines-Jul 2024
Fly out the night before you have anything to do in Chicago so you don’t get delayed and miss out on plans
CameonFlew with Frontier-Jul 2024
Fly Delta! Book directly through the airline, not a second booking party.
GailFlew with JetBlue-Jul 2024
Prepare for a long wait after you actually touch down. Ohare Airport is HUGE and you can taxi for a long time.
MichelleFlew with United Airlines-Apr 2024
Bring water on board and charge your devices in advance.
Verified travelerFlew with Southwest-May 2024
Leave plenty of time to get your bag in Chicago if you check one. Took 45 minutes to get my bag this time.
Verified travelerFlew with Alaska Airlines-Apr 2024
If flight gets delayed. Be sure to ask the airlines you traveled with, to rebook the next available flight immediately.
KariFlew with British Airways-May 2024
Ask for assistance. Chicago is huge airport 🛫 and can get lost easy.
CindyFlew with Southwest-Mar 2024
Don’t check a bag. Chicago takes forever to get your baggage.
yvgeniFlew with United Airlines-Jan 2024
Check the weather before flying , and don’t rely on getting on time to your destination

FAQs - booking Illinois flights

  • What’s the best airport to fly into Chicago?

    The O’Hare International Airport and the Midway International Airport are the two major airports serving Chicago. The first one is 17 mi from the city center and has more flights and amenities. But, if you prefer a less busy airport, consider searching for flights that land at Midway International instead. Being less crowded is not the only advantage of this airport—it’s also closer to downtown Chicago (10 mi). Both airports are served by the famous "L" train. To travel from O’Hare to the city center, take CTA Blue Line, and from Midway, take the CTA Orange Line.

  • Where do I fly into if I’m visiting Springfield?

    Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport (SPI) is the airport serving Springfield, less than 10 mi from the city center. Keep in mind that this airport is served by only three airlines. Those airlines are Allegiant Air, flying from Punta Gorda in Florida; American Eagle, flying from Dallas-Fort Worth; and United Express, flying from Chicago O’Hare.

  • I’m going to Six Flags Great America. Which airport do I fly into?

    If you’re looking for flights to Illinois to visit the Six Flags Great America amusement park, choose Chicago as your final destination. O’Hare International Airport is 32 mi from the park and Midway International is 60 mi from the park. In addition to being the most convenient because of its proximity to the park, O’Hare International is also the airport with the most flight options.

  • Which airport is best if I’m going to Carbondale, Illinois?

    The airport in Illinois with commercial flights that’s closest to Carbondale is Midway International (5h 4m drive from Carbondale). Passengers who prefer a shorter driving distance between the airport and the city can look for flights to airports in neighboring states, e.g., St. Louis Lambert International (STL) in Missouri (2h 10m).

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from the United States to Illinois?

    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 the United States to Illinois.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from the United States to Illinois?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight from the United States to Illinois 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 the United States to Illinois?

    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 from the United States to Illinois with an airline and back with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from the United States to Illinois?

    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 from the United States to Illinois up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to Illinois?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Illinois is Friday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as $423. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Sunday, where round-trip prices are $608 on average.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Illinois

  • Looking for cheap airfare to Illinois? 25% of our users found round-trip tickets to Illinois for the following prices or less: From Phoenix-Mesa Gateway $200, from Nashville $436, from Atlanta $607
  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Illinois flight deals.
  • When you’re looking for flights to Illinois and you’re not sure which destination to pick, Chicago is perhaps the first city that comes to mind. The city is served by three airports, which makes it the best-known gateway into the Prairie State. If you like to choose airports based on airlines, keep in mind that the Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) is the hub airport for American Airlines and United Airlines.
  • Midway International Airport (MDW) is the second largest airport in Chicago, and it’s mainly used by Southwest Airlines as a layover airport for dozens of destinations in the United States.
  • If you’re traveling to more than one destination in Illinois, Central Illinois Regional Airport (BMI) is a good option for those staying close to major cities like Rockford (2h 10m), Chicago (2h 45m), and Springfield (1h 10m) but prefer a smaller airport. Frontier Airlines, Allegiant Air, American Eagle, and Delta Connection are the airlines operating regular flights to Illinois from Orlando, Dallas, Atlanta, and Denver.
  • For passengers traveling with children and looking to rent a car at an airport in Illinois, keep in mind that local state laws require children under 2 years old to sit in a rear-facing child seat. From ages 4 to 8, children can sit in a forward-facing seat. Children between 8 and 12 years old can use a booster seat.
  • For passengers traveling with pets, you'll find pet relief areas at both of Chicago's international airports and also at Central Illinois Regional Airport.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying to Illinois

 
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from the United States to Illinois? 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 4212 reviews
8.6Crew
7.0Food
8.1Boarding
7.5Entertainment
8.0Comfort
Airline reviews

Delayed over 3 hours, extremely rough landing on all four flights. Would not recommend

2.0 MediocreKevin, Oct 2026
Read more Southwest reviews

Delayed over 3 hours, extremely rough landing on all four flights. Would not recommend

The entire crew were wonderful but 1 flight attendant stood out with his sense of humor on the microphone. I told him as much as I exited the plane.

Maybe different snack selection. To much sodium in them. I know refrigerators are not available but there has to be healthier items.

Wasn't expecting this, but, we actually ended up getting assigned to the first row of seats!!!!! The extra legroom came in handy

Flight was delayed over 3 hours. Planes were dirty. Staff indifferent. And they serve vegan pretzels as snacks.

The flight was smooth. The Southwest experience has degraded overall, but this one was okay.

The checking experience in Orlando was terrible, almost missed the flight. Too many travelers and Southwest completely understaffed.

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

Requested an aisle seat at the gate and got it. The staff so friendly

Flight was very delayed so I was able to get on an earlier flight via stand-by. Crew communicated effectively around delay and worked to make customers comfortable. Wifi was ok, streaming TV was great. App functionality broke down once I was moved to stand-by on earlier flight.

Sat in the tarmac at O’Hare for 65 minutes. This is a regular occurrence for delta at O’Hare

Delta was fine though my flight was delayed 4 hours into LGA and my return into ORD involved a taxi of 1+ hour to the gate

It was as good as it could be. Flying is not a pleasant experience these days.

There was an unruly family behind us that made the short flight miserable!!! The cabin crew did nothing to contain it.

Flight delay was frustrating, also you cannot checkin online without delta app, web browser check-in throw errors

Got on the plane and sat there for an hour before departure.

Very large passenger too space from my own seat. Arm board couldn’t be lowered because of his size. It wads very uncomfortable trip, as the flight was full couldn’t move anywhere having back pain because of the position in which I was the entire flight.

Cramped seating for me. Luckily it wasn’t a long flight

Fine except from Chicago to moline three different gate changes and flight times

When booking, the connection times seem fine. But in reality, my two connections were cut short by the first leg being delayed due to issues at the destination (too much traffic going into SFO, ORD) and it became extremely stressful.

Flight and crew were great. Need more legroom and do not allow seats to recline.

We arrived to Chicago nearly 30 minutes early, which was great, but then was on the ground for over an hour because the gate was not available. The issue I had was the pilot estimation was frustrating. First he said he was informed it would be 20 minutes but he said "it will probably be more like 10 minutes". After 30 minutes he came back on the comm and said it would be another 10 minutes, maybe 20. I understand he was only giving estimates but he also layered in his own gut feel. We were never told why we didn't have a gate even after our scheduled entry.

Just sat on the run way after we arrived early

Stored my cloth purse under seat in front off me as instructed. When I retrieved it, half of it was soaked, along with everything inside it. I don’t really know how that could have been prevented because the area did not look wet, but I was not happy about it.

Phx - ORD was nice 737 with starlink and the ORD - grr was ancient bare bones airbus with not even a power port lol

It was easy to board, and the staff was friendly and helpful. What could have been better is that I shouldn't have to pay extra for a seat that doesn't recline.

Was on the plane sitting longer than the actual flight in air was, boarded at 5:45p and didn't take off until 6:50p flight was only about 30 minutes long. Just was poor experience will booking more with American Airlines.

The couple in front of me were constantly talking over the announcement from the captain and this was annoying me.

The now boarding notification was not updated in the app until I was actually on the plan. This si a massive fail considering my flight was delayed several times. These types of failures add stress that could be avoided since I no longer feel comfortable leaving the boarding area to get food or visit a lounge. Had I used the notification from the app, I would have missed my flight. The secondly, the process of connecting to wifi on aa flights is clunky and could be streamlined better. the copy and past process feels like MVP, and you are well beyond that stage.

Both flights were late leaving due to repairs/switching gates. The crew and pilots, however, were professional and courteous. Most importantly, we arrived at our destination safely. The seats were comforable. That size should be standard for all economy class. American could improve its boarding process. I am not sure why you need 9 groups for a small regional plane.

It was close to its perfect the flake could be took off early, landed early, didn’t have to wait for my daughter stroller luggage came out quick, very efficient, very good flight

The amount of gate changes and delays is completely unacceptable. This has happened on 3 of 4 trips between Chicago and Dallas in 2026.

The delay update was very late. I had a stressful short connection and RAN through Chicago to get to the next flight, only to find the plane wasn't at the gate yet an nobody was boarding. I would not have had to run if the delay was updated earlier.

No flight delays. No need to rebook to make connections. Enjoyed second leg of flight on Iberia.

Same the delay was not ideal and the credits to move flights was not sufficient

No food on 4.5 hour flight, wi-fi did not work. Terrible experience for a long haul flight.

The crew were diligent about ensuring that our pet dog remained in his carrier for the entire flight, as is their mandate. I wish that mandate was changed so that our poor, scared pets can be comforted during a flight, whereas service animals get to stay out and about for the whole flight. Thank you.

first leg from san diego to chicago, only had cookies for snack. 1 flavor of sparkling water chicago to washington dc had option of cookies, pretzels, or gold fish. had 2 flavors of sparkling water. 2nd flight better however the best part was there was no delays!!! Got to chicago and washington dc early. That was wonderful!!!!

Maximizing profits is one way to a healthy bottom line, the other is repeat business and referrals from satisfied customers. Frontier has clearly chosen the former. One of many examples: Family emergency required me to cut trip short. Headed to the airport to fly standby for the return trip I had already paid for (yes I understand prices vary with demand etc). Was told there is no standby and that I would need to pay for, despite what it's called by the company, what amounts to a new ticket. And surprise surprise, there turned out to be dozens of empty seats on that flight. To say nothing of the sleazy third and fourth party resellers, the flight/ticket insurance I elected and thought I had paid for that mysteriously wasn't there when I needed it before I left, and on and on with third world sleazy management decisions. The inflight coffee (that I had to pay for) was very good though.

Flight was scheduled at 9:40pm. Got delayed to 10 am, the next day. crazy

The bag check, flight check-in, and onboard experience convinced my wife and me that we will actively go out of our way to avoid flying Frontier Airlines in the future. At bag check, we were informed that check-in could only be completed via the Frontier mobile app. Unfortunately, the app was extremely frustrating—sending us through repetitive, confusing loops that repeatedly forced us to decline add-on services with nearly every click. While most airline apps upsell, this one felt intentionally exhausting. As the process dragged on, we became genuinely concerned that my phone battery would die before check-in could be completed. We approached the bag check staff—who were standing together talking—and explained both our frustration and our predicament. They laughed. Later, my wife described the interaction as “gaslighting,” which felt accurate. We were then informed it would cost $25 per person simply to have our boarding passes printed. From that point forward, the tone of the experience was consistently hostile. The bag check employees were condescending and combative, behaving more like bullies than customer service staff. Unfortunately, that same attitude continued onboard. One flight attendant argued with me when I attempted to stow my backpack in the overhead bin. I explained that we had each paid $75 to check our bags specifically so we would not need to use carry-on space and could have adequate legroom. She demanded to see my ticket, pointed out that it said “no carry-on”—which I acknowledged—and I reiterated that this was precisely why we paid to check our bags. Her response was, “I don’t make the rules.” She then walked away, but not before asking if I “truly wanted to fly back to Chicago today?”—an unnecessary and unmistakable threat. It is also worth noting that despite booking our tickets together in the same transaction, we were not seated together. Upon our return to Chicago—where we could once again sit together—we compared onboard experiences. We both remarked on how unhappy the flight attendants appeared and how each of us was separately asked whether we would like to purchase a beverage. We declined. At no point was water mentioned as an option, leaving us with the clear impression that even water came at a cost—or that complimentary water, if available at all, was deliberately left unmentioned. Overall, the experience was shocking and deeply disappointing, but it was also a profound learning experience—one we will not forget and will not repeat. -Steve

Good for a budget airline! It was easy to get on, staff was really nice. Can’t say anything about the food or entertainment because it wasn’t available, which is fine.

This company socks. It's fraud. They canceled our flight yesterday, and today we were late because of a really long line at the check in bag. At the rebook station, there was ton of people. The workers were all rude. I am gonna make a report to FTC.

The single worst check in experience I could imagine. I’ll never do any business with Frontier or any affiliated company

Too many extra fees, uncomfortable, little leg room. Will not recommend this airline.

Severe turbulence. Captain never came on to reassure passengers after things settled down.

We were delayed three times ,and that destroyed my plans, and reservations

The crew was delayed because they came on another flight that was delayed due to weather 10pm flight left at 1.30 am The airline made no effort to align alternate crew

More options for your flight to Illinois

Complete your trip to Illinois with a hotel stay or car rental