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Cheap Flights from Chicago to Los Angeles
CHI → LAX • About 4h 30m nonstop • 3 airlines
Adults
+12 years old
Children
2-11 years old
Infants
Under 2 years
Fares shown are the lowest we have recorded recently on this route and are not a live quote. Run a search above for today's availability, or call (800) 399-8818 and an agent will price it with you.
Flights from Chicago (CHI) to Los Angeles (LAX)
The Chicago to Los Angeles route covers roughly 1,745 miles and takes about 4h 30m nonstop. 3 airlines compete on it — United Airlines, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines — which keeps fares moving and makes it worth comparing carriers rather than defaulting to the one you usually fly. We have seen one-way fares on this route start around $124.
Los Angeles is less a single city than a chain of them running from the Pacific to the San Gabriel Mountains. Santa Monica and Venice deliver the beach postcard, Downtown holds the museums and the food halls, and Hollywood and Silver Lake carry the nightlife.
The upside for travelers is a climate that cooperates almost every month of the year. The catch is distance: neighborhoods sit far apart and traffic is genuinely as bad as its reputation, so plan one part of town per day rather than crisscrossing.
Airlines flying CHI to LAX
- United Airlines
- American Airlines
- Spirit Airlines
Airports on this route
- Departing: Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Departing: Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
- Arriving: Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Arriving: Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR)
- Arriving: Long Beach Airport (LGB)
- Arriving: John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA)
Chicago is served by 2 airports. Fares between them can differ by $50 to $150 on the same dates, so ask us to price all of them before you book.
Best time to fly to Los Angeles
March through May and September through November — warm, dry, and clear of both the June marine layer and peak summer rates.
Top things to do in Los Angeles
- Griffith Observatory
- Santa Monica Pier
- The Getty Center
- Venice Beach Boardwalk
- Hollywood Walk of Fame
- Universal Studios Hollywood
- Malibu and the Pacific Coast Highway
How to save on Chicago to Los Angeles flights
- Shift your departure by one or two days — midweek departures on this route are consistently cheaper than Friday and Sunday.
- Book four to eight weeks ahead. Last-minute fares on CHI to LAX routinely run double the advance price.
- Compare all 3 carriers rather than checking one airline's own site.
- Burbank, Long Beach and Orange County airports are far easier to clear than LAX and often cheaper.
- "June Gloom" means overcast mornings on the coast through most of June — inland neighborhoods stay sunny.
- Book a rental car before you land; walk-up rates at LAX are among the highest in the country.
About flights from Chicago to Los Angeles
Fares on the CHI to LAX route move with demand, so flexibility is worth more than timing tricks. Shifting your departure by a day or two, flying midweek instead of Friday or Sunday, and booking four to eight weeks ahead all reduce the fare on this route. Chicago is served by 2 airports, so ask us to price all of them — the difference is often significant. Our agents also hold consolidator and unpublished fares that do not appear in online results.
United Airlines, American Airlines, Spirit Airlines all operate on this route. United Airlines typically offers the most frequencies, with American Airlines and Spirit Airlines providing competing schedules. Availability varies by season and by which Chicago airport you depart from, so it is worth comparing all carriers before booking.
A nonstop flight takes about 4h 30m. Itineraries with a connection typically add two to four hours depending on the layover city and the length of the stop.
The two cities are roughly 1,745 miles apart by air.
Departures leave from Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD), Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW). Arrivals land at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), Long Beach Airport (LGB), John Wayne Airport, Orange County (SNA).
March through May and September through November — warm, dry, and clear of both the June marine layer and peak summer rates.