Washington to Chicago (DCA–ORD) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
No flights match your filters.
No scheduled airline flights on this route — it's flown by charter / private operators (). No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
Most recently operated nonstop flights — the month shown is when each was last scheduled. Most destinations remain reachable with a connection.
No discontinued nonstop flights on record for this route.
DCA–ORD is served by 4 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, American Airlines and Delta Air Lines lead the route. The flight covers 611 miles in approximately 2h 22m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA United Airlines Also: EK, NH, NZ | 121 | 319, 320, 737, 738, 73G, B38M, E7W | 2h07-2h46 | Star Alliance | EK, NH, NZ | |
| AA American Airlines Also: AS, AY, BA, CX, JL, QR, RJ | 75 | 319, 320, 738, 7M8, CR7, E75, E75L | 1h54-2h33 | Oneworld | AS, AY, BA, CX, JL, QR, RJ | |
| DL Delta Air Lines | 1 | E75S | 1h29 | SkyTeam | – | |
| WN Southwest Airlines | 0 | – | – | – | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach Chicago from Washington
| Metric | DCA→ORD | IAD→ORD | BWI→ORD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from DCA | – | 23 mi | 30 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 4 | 18 | 14 |
| Weekly flights | 409 | 190 | 173 |
| Flight time | 2h 22m | 1h 32m | 2h 14m |
| Departure OTP | 68% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
DCA: EDT · ORD: CDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Washington, it's 5:00 PM in Chicago.
The DC Metro (Yellow and Blue lines) connects the airport directly to downtown Washington in 15–25 minutes from most central stations ($2.25–$3.85 depending on distance and time of day). The Reagan National Airport station is inside the terminal complex with a direct indoor walkway. Metro runs from about 05:00 to midnight Sunday–Thursday, and until 01:00 on Friday–Saturday.Taxis and Uber/Lyft from the city centre cost $15–30 depending on destination and traffic. DCA is one of the most transit-accessible major US airports. Driving is straightforward via the George Washington Memorial Parkway; short-term parking at the terminal costs from $5 for 20 minutes. No personal vehicles are allowed to idle at arrivals; use the cell-phone lot or commercial pick-up zones.
CTA Blue Line runs 24/7 from O'Hare to downtown Chicago (45 min, $5). Taxis use a flat-rate zone system; downtown is around $40–45 plus tip. Ride-shares are typically $30–50.The Airport Transit System (ATS) connects all terminals and parking. Metra commuter rail does not serve O'Hare directly; transfer downtown via Blue Line.
Continental climate with four distinct seasons. Summers are warm and humid (25–32°C) with afternoon thunderstorms. Winters are cold (−10 to −2°C) with heavy snowfall that regularly delays flights December through March.
Spring and fall are mild but unpredictable. Pack layers. Lake Michigan moderates temperatures near the lakefront, but O'Hare sits inland and runs colder.
DCA–ORD Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Washington Reagan to Chicago O'Hare Route
The DCA-ORD corridor connects two major US political and commercial centers roughly 600 miles apart, placing it comfortably within Reagan's perimeter rule. American and United dominate the route, with service running throughout the day at frequencies that position it as one of the busier domestic trunk routes on the East Coast–Midwest axis. Flight time is 2 hours.
Scheduling and Disruption Context
O'Hare's history as one of the US's most delay-prone airports during winter makes schedule reliability a practical concern for DCA-ORD travelers. Ground delay programs at ORD propagate backward to DCA, affecting departure timing even in clear weather. Morning departures historically carry better on-time records than mid-afternoon slots, which absorb accumulated daily delays.