Flying from Chicago to Toronto: what you need to know
Start your holiday planning by considering where you'll board your flight from Chicago to Toronto. O'Hare International Airport (ORD) and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) are Chicago's main airports.
Toronto has several airports you can jet into. Touch down at Pearson International Airport (YYZ), Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ) or Region of Waterloo International Airport (YKF).
The average time for a direct flight from Chicago to Toronto is 1 hour 42 minutes. Toronto's timezone is UTC-4, making Toronto 1 hour ahead of Chicago.
The busiest route for flights from Chicago to Toronto is from O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Pearson International Airport (YYZ). Take your pick of 149 services every week between these two airports. If you want to get going first thing, the earliest flight from ORD to YYZ is the 06:00 Air Canada option. If you prefer to travel later, the final departure is at 21:18 with United Airlines.
Leave plenty of time to catch your flight from Chicago to Toronto. Generally, it's best to arrive at least two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.
Flying during a popular month such as August? School holidays and other high seasons can mean longer queues and delays at security. Be extra cautious and arrive up to four hours before international flights and two hours before domestic departures.
You can visit Canada for tourism purposes without a visa if you have a passport from United States. But before organising your cheap flight from Chicago to Toronto, make sure you're up to date with the latest guidelines. Visa rules can change, and you may require some travel documentation if your trip is for work or other reasons.
Flying from Chicago
O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
You can book a nonstop flight from Chicago to Toronto taking off from O'Hare International Airport (ORD). Begin your trip at ORD and touch down at Pearson International Airport (YYZ).
You'll have your pick of carriers that offer direct flights from Chicago to Toronto leaving from ORD. Reserve your trip with one of these:
We make it a piece of cake to find a flight from Chicago to Toronto with a stopover. To see your options departing from O'Hare International Airport, uncheck 'Direct flights only.' Next, pick a flight with a stop long enough to see the sights of the city of your choice. Popular stopovers include:
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Keflavik International Airport (KEF)
ORD is about 40 kilometres from central Chicago. If you're catching a cab, driving or ride-sharing from the centre, it'll take you 35 minutes or so to get there, depending on the traffic. If you're planning to take public transport, expect the trip time to be around 54 minutes.
Searching for a convenient hotel near O'Hare International Airport? If you're boarding an early flight from Chicago to Toronto, these stays will have you moments from check-in:
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
You can take a nonstop flight from Chicago to Toronto jetting out of Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW). Start your travels at MDW and in no time you'll be at Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ).
Porter Airlines offers direct flights from Chicago to Toronto leaving from MDW. Book your favourite aisle seat and arrive at your destination without any detours.
Maximise your holiday with a stopover on your flight from Chicago to Toronto. Visit friends or family or tick a new city off your list. Whatever you choose to do, check out these options between O'Hare International Airport and Toronto:
Orlando International Airport (MCO)
Tampa International Airport (TPA)
Keflavik International Airport (KEF)
With public transport, you can travel from central Chicago to MDW in about 46 minutes. The airport is roughly 19 kilometres away, and making the journey by car will take approximately 21 minutes.
Kick off your holiday early with an additional night away from home. Before catching your flight from Chicago to Toronto, take it easy in one of these hotels near Chicago Midway International Airport:
Arriving in Toronto
Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
Pearson International Airport (YYZ) to central Toronto is about 26 minutes by car. It's approximately 27 kilometres away.
Getting there by public transport will take you roughly 49 minutes.
If you're arriving on a late flight from Chicago to Toronto, nothing beats the convenience of staying close to the terminal. Collect your bags from the carousel and then be showered and relaxing soon after at one of these hotels near YYZ:
Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ)
After your flight from Chicago to Toronto has landed, you can get to the city centre in about 35 minutes by car. Central Toronto is approximately 3 kilometres from Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ).
You can also travel using public transport, which will take approximately 39 minutes.
After your flight from Chicago to Toronto, tuck yourself in at a hotel near YTZ. These are some great accommodation options that'll help you get into relaxation mode:
How to find the cheapest flights from Chicago to Toronto
Right now, R 1,520 is the best price we've found for a one-way ticket from Chicago to Toronto. The cheapest price for a return flight is R 3,067. Keep in mind fares may change due to demand at the time of booking.
Book 9 months before you travel. After looking at the numbers on our calendar, this is how far you should book ahead to secure cheap tickets from Chicago to Toronto.
Organise your trip for May. That's the cheapest month for tickets from Chicago to Toronto. If you're flexible with your dates, use the 'Whole month' tool to see the lowest price across every month.
Set up a Price Alert for cheap tickets from Chicago to Toronto. There's no need to check every day to find out if fares have dropped. We'll let you know when there's a change in price.
Take advantage of filters to find your ideal journey. To see the 'Best,' 'Cheapest' or 'Fastest' flights from Chicago to Toronto, use the 'Sort by' function. You can also filter results by airline, departure and arrival times, and journey duration.
Best time to go to Toronto
August is the most popular month for flights from Chicago to Toronto. To skip the crowds, go to Toronto in February.
Before booking a flight from Chicago to Toronto, consider the kind of weather you like. July is the warmest month in Toronto, with temperatures ranging from 14ºC to 28ºC.
January has average temperatures of between -12ºC and 1ºC. Search for cheap tickets from Chicago to Toronto sometime then if you like travelling in cooler conditions.
More about Toronto
When it comes to searching for somewhere to lay your head, you'll find the best stays in Toronto right here. Explore these options once you've locked in your flight from Chicago to Toronto:
CN Tower and Royal Ontario Museum are just a couple of the big attractions to put on your Toronto to-do list. Keep the sightseeing going at Go Tours Canada - Distillery District.
Complete your Toronto trip with a car rental
Finding you a cheap flight from Chicago to Toronto isn't our only cool trick. Check out our car rentals in Toronto and explore the city on your own terms. We search for deals from trusted car rental companies and put them all in one place. You can instantly compare offers and then book with no fees.
