Cheap flights from London to Chicago

February is the cheapest month to fly this route, and it is also one of the quietest. Fares climb from late spring through the summer, when families travel both ways, and again around the winter holidays, so late autumn and the weeks after New Year are good value. Midweek departures on a Tuesday or Wednesday usually cost less than a Friday or Sunday flight. If your dates are flexible, compare a few weeks either side of the school breaks and watch how the price changes when you shift the return leg.

Every ticket between London and Chicago involves a connection, and the airline you pick decides where you change. Low-cost carriers such as Easyjet and Vueling sell the seat only, so bags and seat choice cost extra, and their connections are often separate tickets. Full-service names on this route, among them Air Canada, Icelandair, Austrian, Iberia and KLM Cityhopper, sell through-fares with a checked bag included and look after you if a leg is delayed. Regional partners such as Helvetic Airways, Air Dolomiti and Edelweiss Air tend to appear on the first leg out of a European hub. Always check whether the whole trip sits on one ticket.

Chicago has two airports and your ticket decides which one you land at. O'Hare International handles most long-haul arrivals and sits well out from the Loop, with a train and buses running into the centre through the day. Midway International is the smaller, closer option, mostly used by domestic connections, and the ride into town is shorter. Check the airport code before you book, because a connection through Midway can mean a longer transfer across the city than you expect. Both airports have car hire and taxi ranks at the terminal.

Currency

USD ($)

Power sockets

Type A, B · 120 V

Language

Samoan, Hawaiian, Chamorro, Carolinian, Spanish

Emergency number

911

Driving side

right

Calling code

+1

Internet domain

.us

Population of Chicago

2.7 M (2020)

Time zone

UTC-05 (America/Chicago)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Check which London airport you fly from, as Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton and London City are far apart
• Confirm whether your bag is included, since low-cost tickets on this route often charge for a checked case
• Make sure a connection is on one ticket, or leave a long gap if you booked the legs separately
• Check that your passport and any US entry authorisation are valid well before departure
• Look at February if your dates are open, as it is the cheapest month on this route
• Compare the Chicago arrival airport before you pick a fare, as Midway and O'Hare sit in different parts of the city