Washington to Chicago (DCA–ORD) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections
Flight Schedule
148 flights
Verified 14h ago
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No flights match your filters.
No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.
✦ 1-Stop
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Washington to Chicago
3 carriers, 470 flights/week nonstop.
3 Airlines
470 Flights/wk
611 mi
2h 8m nonstop
-1h behind
114 1-stop hubs
DCA–ORD is served by 3 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, American Airlines and Southwest Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 611 miles in approximately 2h 8m. Beyond nonstop, 114 hubs offer 1-stop connections.
Carriers on this route
Airline Landscape
All carriers operating nonstop DCA–ORD service, compared side by side.
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UA United Airlines Also: EK, NH, NZ | 129 | 319, 320, 738, 73G, 7M8, E7W | 2h11-2h39 | Star Alliance | EK, NH, NZ | |
| AA American Airlines Also: AS, BA, CX, QR, RJ | 105 | 319, 320, 738, 7M8, CR7, E70, E75 | 2h17-2h40 | Oneworld | AS, BA, CX, QR, RJ | |
| WN Southwest Airlines | 0 | – | – | – | – |
Aircraft on this route
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.
Schedule
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, DCA to ORD direction.
Mon
68
flights
Tue
69
flights
Wed
69
flights
Thu
69
flights
Fri
66
flights
Sat
61
flights
Sun
68
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Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
78
Nonstop flights
470
Outbound / wk
418
Return / wk
Connections
Connection Landscape
Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for DCA to ORD.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
114
Hubs
~4h
Fastest
~26h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
4,943
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.
Alternatives
Other ways to reach Chicago from Washington
Nearby airports with service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
| Metric | DCA→ORD | IAD→ORD | BWI→ORD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from DCA | – | 23 mi | 30 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 3 | 15 | 14 |
| Weekly flights | 470 | 181 | 224 |
| Flight time | 2h 8m | 1h 54m | 2h 15m |
| Departure OTP | 96% | – | – |
Dulles (IAD) to Chicago flights · Baltimore (BWI) to Chicago flights · Charlottesville (CHO) to Chicago flights
Airports within 200 miles of DCA with service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
Know before you go
Travel Essentials
Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
-1h
Chicago is 1 hour
behind
Washington.
DCA: EDT · ORD: CDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Washington, it's 5:00 PM in Chicago.
DCA: EDT · ORD: CDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Washington, it's 5:00 PM in Chicago.
Distance & Flight Time
611 mi / 983 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 2h 8m to 2h 40m.
Getting to DCA
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.
Getting from ORD
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.
Chicago Climate
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.
Facts
DCA–ORD Quick Facts
Key statistics for the Washington to Chicago route.
Route details
Distance611 mi / 983 km
Flight time2h 8m to 2h 40m
Time difference-1 hour
Airlines (nonstop)3
Weekly flights470 out / 418 return
1-stop connections114 hubs
Destination: ORD
Full nameChicago O'Hare International Airport
IATA / ICAOORD / KORD
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr80.0M
Elevation680 ft / 207 m
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about DCA to ORD flights.
Nonstop flights from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport take approximately 2h 8m to 2h 40m. The route covers 611 miles.
3 airlines operate nonstop service: American Airlines, United Airlines and Southwest Airlines. Plus 8 codeshare partners.
There are approximately 470 nonstop flights per week from DCA to ORD. The return direction has about 418 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through MDW, BDR, RIC, ATW, BWI, LSE, RST, EVV, AGS, ISM, OPF, MGM, AVP, JAN, APA, HOU, YHZ, MYR, BFI, NAS, EYW, SRQ, LEX, CRW, JFK, CLT, HPN, CHA, SYR, PIT, DTW, MHT, PWM, ATL, YYZ, ROC, CAK, CLE, MKE, CMH, LGA, BTV, LAN, TYS, ORF, GRR, VPS, BDL, SJU, DAY, CID, BUF, HSV, ALB, MEM, MSP, EWR, SDF, IND, TVC, BGR, MCI, STL, BNA, CWA, PHL, BOS, YUL, IAH, GSP, BHM, YOW, PVD, GSO, CVG, CHS, MSN, CAE, MCO, RDU, JAX, OMA, ICT, AVL, TUL, ILM, DFW, FLL, SPI, DSM, SAN, SAV, PNS, PBI, LIT, XNA, PDX, AUS, MSY, TPA, MIA, DEN, OKC, SAT, DAL, PHX, LAS, SFO, RSW, SEA, LAX, ECP, SLC and HHH. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Chicago is 1 hour behind Washington.
Yes, return flights from ORD to DCA are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
See the On-Time Performance section for the latest delay data at both airports. This shows departure and arrival reliability to help you plan.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.
Reagan National Airport (DCA) operates under a 1,250-mile perimeter rule that restricts nonstop service to destinations within that radius. Chicago O'Hare (ORD) falls well within the perimeter at 600 miles, so DCA-ORD is unaffected and served by multiple carriers. The perimeter rule is relevant only when considering transcontinental or western US routes from DCA.
O'Hare is among the most delay-prone major US airports during winter months due to lake-effect snow, ice storms, and ground stop events. DCA-ORD flights are frequently caught in ground delay programs originating at ORD, causing cascading delays regardless of DCA conditions. Booking the first departure of the day reduces exposure to accumulated schedule slippage.
American Airlines uses Terminal 3 at O'Hare, while United Airlines operates from Terminal 1. Both are connected via the underground ATS people mover system, which is relevant if connecting onward within O'Hare. Reagan National uses a consolidated terminal structure with gates assigned by concourse letter.
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.