Chicago to Seattle (ORD–SEA) — 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.
ORD–SEA is served by 8 airlines with nonstop service. Alaska Airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 1,716 miles in approximately 4h 40m. Beyond nonstop, 1-stop connecting options are also available.
Airline Landscape
| Airline | Freq/wk | Aircraft | Duration | Dep OTP | Alliance | Codeshares |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AS Alaska Airlines Also: AY, HA, KE, QR | 57 | 738, 739, 73H, 73J, 7M9, B38M, B39M | 4h25-4h58 | Oneworld | AY, HA, KE, QR | |
| UA United Airlines Also: AV, LX, OS, SN | 51 | 32Q, 7M8, 7M9, A21N | 3h38-4h53 | Star Alliance | AV, LX, OS, SN | |
| AA American Airlines Also: AY, EI, GF, MH, QR, RJ | 35 | 321, 738 | 4h32-4h37 | Oneworld | AY, EI, GF, MH, QR, RJ | |
| DL Delta Air Lines Also: AF, KE, SK | 28 | 738, 739 | 4h36-4h43 | SkyTeam | AF, KE, SK | |
| IB Iberia | 15 | 321 | 4h38-4h42 | Oneworld | – | |
| CI China Airlines | 3 | 77L, 77X | 3h47-4h30 | SkyTeam | – | |
| AC Air Canada | 1 | – | – | Star Alliance | – | |
| BR EVA Air | 0 | – | – | Star Alliance | – |
Weekly Schedule Pattern
Connection Landscape
On-Time Performance
Other ways to reach Seattle from Chicago
| Metric | ORD→SEA | MDW→SEA | RFD→SEA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from ORD | – | 15 mi | 63 mi |
| Nonstop airlines | 8 | 3 | 1 |
| Weekly flights | 350 | 25 | 3 |
| Flight time | 4h 40m | 4h 22m | 3h 42m |
| Departure OTP | 26% | – | – |
Travel Essentials
ORD: CDT · SEA: PDT
When it's 6:00 PM in Chicago, it's 4:00 PM in Seattle.
CTA Blue Line runs 24/7 from downtown Loop stations to O'Hare (45 min, $5). Pace buses serve suburbs. Ride-shares cost $35–55 from downtown depending on traffic; add 30+ minutes during rush hour on the Kennedy Expressway.Economy parking lots E/F connect via ATS people mover. Terminal 5 (international) is separate from Terminals 1–3; allow extra time for inter-terminal transfers.
Link Light Rail from the airport station (inside the terminal) to downtown Seattle takes 38 minutes ($3.50). No transfers needed; trains run 5am to 1am daily.Taxis and ride-shares to downtown cost $35–55. For Bellevue and Eastside destinations (across Lake Washington), ride-share is faster than Link. Car rentals are in the consolidated rental facility; take the free shuttle from baggage claim. Sound Transit buses serve Tacoma, Renton, and Federal Way.
Marine west coast climate. Winters are mild but persistently grey and rainy (3–9°C). Snow is rare at sea level but can occur December through February, causing significant disruptions when it does. The airport sits between Seattle and Tacoma in an area that receives more fog and low cloud than downtown Seattle.
Summers are famously pleasant (18–25°C) with low humidity and mostly clear skies, one of the best flying climates in the US from June through September. The wettest months are November through January.
ORD–SEA Quick Facts
Frequently Asked Questions
Chicago O'Hare to Seattle: Cross-Country Hub Connector
ORD-SEA links two of the country's most important airline hubs across 1,721 miles. United, Alaska, American, and Delta combine for 11 to 16 daily nonstops. Westbound block time is 4 hours 20 to 40 minutes. Eastbound runs closer to 3 hours 50 minutes with the jet stream. United and Alaska carry the bulk of traffic. This route serves a dual purpose: point-to-point travel between Chicago and the Pacific Northwest, and connecting flows through both hubs. United feeds international traffic from ORD, while Alaska connects passengers onward to Portland, Anchorage, and smaller Pacific Northwest cities from SEA.
Passenger Mix and Seasonal Patterns
ORD-SEA carries steady year-round business traffic driven by tech, consulting, and manufacturing ties between the two metros. Amazon, Microsoft, and Boeing in the Seattle area generate consistent corporate travel. Summer is the leisure peak, with passengers headed to the San Juan Islands, Olympic Peninsula, and Pacific Northwest road trips. Winter demand dips slightly but ski traffic to destinations reachable via SEA (Crystal Mountain, Stevens Pass) fills some of the gap. SEA-Tacoma Airport is in a major expansion phase with a new international arrivals facility. O'Hare continues its Terminal Area Plan renovation, which has modernized the Terminal 5 international facility.