Cheap flights from California to Chicago from $86

The month of September is, on average, the cheapest month to fly to Chicago from California, with most prices found around $242. If you’re not able to fly to Chicago in September, then August is your next best option. Flight prices from California to Chicago during August average around $262.

The cheapest day to depart on your flight to Chicago is on a Thursday when prices can be found for as low as $357. This is often the case because there is less demand to fly during this day of the week. When flying out on a Sunday, the most expensive travel day of the week, you can expect to see flight prices from California to Chicago for around $435.

Our most recent data shows that the best time of day to fly to Chicago is in the afternoon. Flights from California to Chicago during this time can be as low as $280. In contrast, the most expensive time of day to depart to Chicago is at noon when prices are around $458.

Fly from Los Angeles Los Angeles to Chicago Greater Rockford for the best California - Chicago flight prices

You are more likely to see cheaper flights to Chicago from California when booking weeks ahead of your departure date. In general, you can expect to find flights to Chicago for around $315 when searching weeks out. However, flight prices might be lower outside of this timeframe. For example, people recently found flights to Chicago from California for as low as $262 on momondo.

There are 4 cabin classes available to choose from on California to Chicago flights. Cabin price and availability will vary by airline so perform a search above to find the right deals for you.

United Airlines, Southwest, and Alaska Airlines are the most popular carriers operating from California to Chicago

American Airlines, United Airlines and Spirit Airlines are the top three most popular airlines that fly to Chicago from California according to our data. American Airlines is the first choice among our users, with 43% of people opting to fly with this airline when traveling to Chicago. Keep in mind that there are 9 different airlines that fly to Chicago on a routine basis, so you have a few additional options to choose from.

As of March 2026, 229 flights take off from California and land in Chicago each day. The most common flight departure time for this route is 10:00AM, with 51% of daily flights taking off at noon.

As of March 2026, 1,603 flights take off from California and land in Chicago each week. The most common flight departure day for this route is Sun, with 17% of weekly flights taking off on this day.