Deal alert: Flights to Chicago starting at $118
If you’re in the mood for some deep-dish pizza or a trip to Portillo’s hot dogs, then this deal to the Windy City could be for you. American Airlines and JetBlue Airways are offering round-trip flights under $200 to Chicago from major cities in the U.S.
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Scott’s Cheap Flights, which offers a premium membership that alerts readers to discounted fares for $49 a year, first reported this deal. This fare to Chicago is available for travel from March of this year to January 2023.
Deal basics
Airlines: American and JetBlue
Routes: ATL/DFW/JFK/LAX/MIA to ORD
How to book: Directly through the airlines or through Google Flights
Travel dates: March 2022 — Jan 2023
Related: 11 must-do activities when visiting Chicago
Sample flights
The deals below are for Blue Basic seating on JetBlue, which only includes a standard seat and personal item that can be stowed under the seat. A checked bag, seat selection and other extras will cost a fee. The deals on American Airlines are for main cabin tickets, which include a seat, carry-on and seat selection.
One of the cheapest deals we found was for a direct flight from Miami (MIA) to Chicago (ORD) in early June for $118 round-trip.
Nonstop flights from Atlanta (ATL) to Chicago (ORD) are widely available throughout much of the year at $138 round-trip. This itinerary is a nonstop flight in August.
Travelers can fly to Chicago (ORD) from New York (JFK) on JetBlue for $158 round-trip. Deals at this price are offered throughout the summer. The example below is for a trip in July.
You can book a short, direct flight from Dallas (DFW) to Chicago (ORD) for $188 round-trip. Flights at this price are available throughout May and June.
There is limited availability for flights from Los Angeles (LAX) to Chicago (ORD) for $192 round-trip in April and May. The deal we found was in May. The departure is a nonstop flight and the return includes a stop in Denver (DEN).
Related: Guide to Planning a Family Trip to Chicago
Maximize your purchase
Pay with: The Platinum Card® from American Express for 5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year), the Citi Prestige® Card for 5 points per dollar on airfare, the Citi Premier® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve for 3 points per dollar on air travel, the American Express® Gold Card for 3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel, or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card for 2 points per dollar on travel. JetBlue cardholders can use the JetBlue Plus Card for 6 points per dollar on eligible JetBlue purchases, the JetBlue Card for 3 points per dollar or the JetBlue Business Card for 6 points per dollar.
The information for the JetBlue Card, the JetBlue Plus Card, the JetBlue Business Card and the Citi Prestige Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: A classic getaway: Revisiting Chicago childhood favorites with my parents
Bottom Line
There is no better time to enjoy Chicago than in the summer, but you can take advantage of this deal for travel up until the beginning of 2023. Because this deal has travel dates into next year, you can explore the city no matter what the season is.
Top offers from our partners
How we chose these cards
TPG featured card
Rewards
| 10x | Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. |
| 5x | Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. |
| 3x | Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. |
| 1x | Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro offer
Annual Fee
Recommended Credit
Why We Chose It
If you are looking to take your premium rewards to the highest level, this card is really a no brainer in our eyes. Chase's Ultimate Rewards make points easy to redeem, with a wide range of 10 airline and three hotel transfer partners and a friendly user interface. Despite the high annual fee, Chase is consistently adding new benefits to keep the card competitive in a fierce premium rewards field.Pros
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year
- Access to Chase Ultimate Rewards hotel and airline travel partners
- Unlimited 3x points on the broad category of travel and dining
- 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Broad definitions for travel and dining bonus categories
Cons
- Steep $550 annual fee
- May not make sense for people that don't travel frequently
- You must spend the $300 travel credit before earning 3x points for travel and dining
- No automatic hotel elite status
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,200 toward travel
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more
Rewards Rate
| 10x | Earn 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. |
| 5x | Earn 5x total points on flights through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. |
| 3x | Earn 3x points on other travel and dining. |
| 1x | Earn 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases |
Intro Offer
Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®80,000 bonus pointsAnnual Fee
$550Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO© Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.740-850Excellent
Why We Chose It
If you are looking to take your premium rewards to the highest level, this card is really a no brainer in our eyes. Chase's Ultimate Rewards make points easy to redeem, with a wide range of 10 airline and three hotel transfer partners and a friendly user interface. Despite the high annual fee, Chase is consistently adding new benefits to keep the card competitive in a fierce premium rewards field.Pros
- $300 annual travel credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year
- Access to Chase Ultimate Rewards hotel and airline travel partners
- Unlimited 3x points on the broad category of travel and dining
- 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- Broad definitions for travel and dining bonus categories
Cons
- Steep $550 annual fee
- May not make sense for people that don't travel frequently
- You must spend the $300 travel credit before earning 3x points for travel and dining
- No automatic hotel elite status
- Earn 80,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $1,200 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®
- $300 Annual Travel Credit as reimbursement for travel purchases charged to your card each account anniversary year.
- Earn 5x total points on flights and 10x total points on hotels and car rentals when you purchase travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards® immediately after the first $300 is spent on travel purchases annually. Earn 3x points on other travel and dining & 1 point per $1 spent on all other purchases
- Get 50% more value when you redeem your points for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. For example, 80,000 points are worth $1,200 toward travel
- 1:1 point transfer to leading airline and hotel loyalty programs
- Access to 1,300+ airport lounges worldwide after an easy, one-time enrollment in Priority Pass™ Select and up to $100 application fee credit every four years for Global Entry, NEXUS, or TSA PreCheck®
- Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more