Flying from London to Chicago: what you need to know
When planning your flight from London to Chicago, you'll have your pick of airports to jet out of. Consider London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) for departure options. Other possibilities include Stansted Airport (STN), London Luton Airport (LTN) and London City Airport (LCY).
When planning your arrival in Chicago, O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) are the major entry points.
The average duration of a direct London to Chicago flight is 8 hours 55 minutes.
Chicago's timezone is UTC-5, making Chicago five hours behind London.
With 54 weekly flights between the two airports, London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to O'Hare International Airport (ORD) is the busiest route. Board the first flight from London to Chicago with United Airlines at 08:30. If you prefer to get more out of your day before taking off, the latest flight from LHR to ORD is with British Airways at 15:45.
For stress-free travel, turn up at the airport two hours ahead of international flights and one hour before domestic departures. This leaves you with plenty of time to catch your London to Chicago flight.
You'll likely experience longer lines in popular months such as July. Arriving up to four hours in advance for international flights and two hours for domestic departures is a smart move.
How to find the cheapest flights from London to Chicago
Book two months before your departure date. Pricing trends suggest that this is the ideal window for finding cheap London to Chicago flights.
May is the best month for picking up an amazing deal on a plane ticket from London to Chicago. If you need to travel during a different time of year, the 'Whole month' tool will give you the lowest prices across every month.
There's no need to check every day to see if fares have dropped when you create a Price Alert. We'll update you the moment a better deal comes up on cheap flights from London to Chicago.
Find a cheap London to Chicago flight with the help of our filters. Choose your preferred times, airlines and number of stops, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' to see the best deals.
Flying from London
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Jet off from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) on a nonstop flight from London to Chicago. From LHR, you can fly straight to O'Hare International Airport (ORD).
Top carriers that offer direct London to Chicago plane tickets departing from LHR include:
Stopovers are the perfect opportunity to take a travel break — and perhaps even tour another city. When browsing London to Chicago flights leaving from London Heathrow Airport, uncheck the 'Direct flights only' box to see where you can visit along the way. Here are some popular options to consider:
Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
Logan International Airport (BOS)
Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Located around 26 kilometres from the centre of London, LHR can be reached in about 55 minutes by car, depending on traffic. The journey by public transport takes roughly 1 hour.
Looking for a handy hotel near London Heathrow Airport? If you're catching an early flight from London to Chicago, these stays will put you moments from your departure lounge:
When it comes to the on-time performance of London Heathrow Airport, data shows 68.18% of flights complete their journey on time.
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
Visit family or friends or just take a moment to stretch your legs with a stopover. If you'd like to split up your London to Chicago flight, browse these options when departing from London Gatwick Airport:
Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Harry Reid Airport (formerly McCarran Airport) (LAS)
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
You can reach LGW from the centre of London in about 1 hour 20 minutes by car, depending on traffic conditions. The journey on public transport will take roughly 30 minutes to cover the 40 kilometres or so.
Want to treat yourself to an extra night away before boarding your flight from London to Chicago? Relax in a hotel near London Gatwick Airport before your adventure officially begins. These stays are calling your name:
Looking at how often flights stay on schedule, London Gatwick Airport has an on-time arrival performance of 69%.
Stansted Airport (STN)
Booking a ticket from London to Chicago with one or more stops can give you more departure time choices and access to cheaper fares. When leaving from Stansted Airport (STN), here are a few places you can make a pit stop at on your way to Chicago:
Dublin Airport (DUB)
Copenhagen Airport (CPH)
Edinburgh Airport (EDI)
From the centre of London, STN is around 48 kilometres away. It'll take you roughly 1 hour to reach the airport by car and 1 hour 25 minutes or so on public transport.
Make taking an early London to Chicago flight the easiest part of your trip. Book a room at one of these accommodation options near Stansted Airport and head to your check-in counter with time to spare:
Airports have an on-time performance rating that tracks how often flights touch down as expected. At STN, that rate is 64.73%.
Arriving in Chicago
O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to central Chicago takes around 35 minutes by car. The centre is roughly 26 kilometres away.
If you're travelling by public transport, expect a journey time of roughly 55 minutes.
If you're arriving on a late flight from London to Chicago, nothing beats the convenience of staying close to the terminal. Collect your bags from the carousel and then be showered and resting not long after at one of these accommodation options near ORD:
Go where the road takes you with an O'Hare International Airport rental car. Pick up your wheels from Routes Car Rentals, Dollar or Budget and see more of Chicago and beyond.
To lock in the lowest price, reserve your ride from O'Hare International Airport around four weeks ahead of your London to Chicago flight.
The address for ORD is 10000 West O'Hare.
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Central Chicago is located around 14 kilometres from Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW). As soon as your flight from London to Chicago has touched down and you've made your way out of the airport, expect a drive of about 20 minutes.
Public transport will get you there in approximately 45 minutes.
After your flight from London to Chicago, unwind at a hotel close to MDW. These are some comfortable accommodation options that'll help you get into relaxation mode:
No time to waste? The fastest way to get to where you're going is with a Chicago Midway International Airport rental car. Collect a set of wheels from Dollar, Hertz or Budget and make a speedy getaway.
Score the best price by securing your ride from MDW four weeks in advance. You can also expect to have a wider range of vehicles.
The address for Chicago Midway International Airport is 5700 South Cicero.
Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD)
Hop off your flight from London to Chicago and go directly to your hotel or start taking in the sights right away. Central Chicago is around 129 kilometres from Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD) and typically takes 1 hour 25 minutes to reach driving.
The journey takes about 4 hours 15 minutes when travelling on public transport.
Begin your journey without stressing about how to get to where you're going with a Chicago Rockford International Airport rental car. You can book a set of wheels from reliable companies here like Budget, Alamo and National.
Rental providers sometimes offer discounts for early bookings, so book your vehicle from RFD in advance of your flight from London to Chicago. A bit of planning goes a long way for your wallet.
Chicago Rockford International Airport's address is 2 Airport Cir.
Best time to go to Chicago
January is the quietest month for flights from London to Chicago, while August is the most popular. Choose the best time to visit Chicago based on whether you want a laid-back vibe or a lively atmosphere.
The warmest month in Chicago is July, with temperatures ranging between 15ºC and 29ºC. Lock in your London to Chicago ticket then if that's your definition of good weather.
Look for cheap flights from London to Chicago in January if you'd rather travel when it's cooler. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between -12ºC and 3ºC on average.
More about Chicago
When it comes to searching for somewhere to rest your head, you'll find the most popular stays in Chicago right here. Check out these hotels once you've locked in your flight from London to Chicago:
Millennium Park and Art Institute of Chicago are just a couple of the popular attractions to add to your Chicago must-do list. Keep the adventure rolling by checking out LandShark Beer Garden at Navy Pier.
Explore more of United States
Columbus is just one of the many cities in United States waiting to be explored once you've seen Chicago. Around 451 kilometres to the south-east, its top attractions include Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens, Ohio Statehouse and German Village.
Indianapolis is another standout destination in United States and is around 257 kilometres south-east of Chicago. No trip is complete without a visit to The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, Indianapolis Museum of Art and Indianapolis Zoo.
