Raleigh/Durham to Chicago (RDU–MDW) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

RDU Airport Page →
631 mi airlines 33/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 14 flights Verified 1h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
WN3293
WN Southwest
7S7
7:20 AM
EDT T1
8:25 AM
CDT
2h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN154
WN Southwest
7M8
8:05 AM
EDT T1
9:10 AM
CDT
2h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN2163
WN Southwest
7S7
8:10 AM
EDT T1
9:10 AM
CDT
2h
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3288
WN Southwest
738
3:35 PM
EDT T1
4:40 PM
CDT
2h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3543
WN Southwest
7M8
6:40 PM
EDT T1
7:40 PM
CDT
2h
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN2972
WN Southwest
7M8
7:05 PM
EDT T1
8:10 PM
CDT
2h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3998
WN Southwest
7M8
7:45 PM
EDT T1
8:45 PM
CDT
2h
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN673
WN Southwest
7M8
7:40 AM
CDT
10:30 AM
EDT
1h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN4653
WN Southwest
7S7
7:45 AM
CDT
10:35 AM
EDT
1h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN931
WN Southwest
738
7:50 AM
CDT
10:40 AM
EDT
1h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN1590
WN Southwest
7M8
12:55 PM
CDT
3:45 PM
EDT
1h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3356
WN Southwest
7M8
2:40 PM
CDT
5:30 PM
EDT
1h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN3357
WN Southwest
7S7
6:05 PM
CDT
8:55 PM
EDT
1h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices
WN724
WN Southwest
737
6:45 PM
CDT
9:35 PM
EDT
1h 50m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP
2-STOP Loading...
Raleigh/Durham to Chicago
1 carrier, 33 flights/week nonstop.
1 Airlines 33 Flights/wk 631 mi 2h nonstop -1h behind 84 1-stop hubs

RDU–MDW is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. Southwest Airlines leads the route. The flight covers 631 miles in approximately 2h. Beyond nonstop, 84 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop RDU–MDW service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
WN Southwest Airlines 33 738, 7M8, 7S7 2h-2h05 73%
Aircraft on this route
738 Boeing 737-800 – WN
7M8 Boeing 737 MAX 8 – WN
7S7 Boeing 737 MAX 7 – WN
Alliance coverage
Unaffiliated: WN (33 flights/wk, 100%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, RDU to MDW direction.
Mon
5
flights
Tue
4
flights
Wed
4
flights
Thu
5
flights
Fri
5
flights
Sat
4
flights
Sun
6
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
7
Nonstop flights
33
Outbound / wk
33
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for RDU to MDW.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
84
Hubs
~3h
Fastest
~30h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
3,112
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.

On-Time Performance

What to expect at each end of your journey.
Outbound
RDU → MDW
73%
Moderate delays possible. Allow buffer time.
Departing
73%
Arriving
60%
Return
MDW → RDU
54%
Frequent delays expected. Consider flexible booking.
Departing
54%
Arriving
70%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. RDU delays → MDW delays →

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
-1h
Chicago is 1 hour behind Raleigh/Durham.
RDU: EDT · MDW: CDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Raleigh/Durham, it's 5:00 PM in Chicago.
Distance & Flight Time
631 mi / 1,016 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 2h 0m to 2h 5m.
Getting to RDU

No rail connection exists. GoTriangle Route 100 (RDU Express) runs from the Durham Station Transportation Center and downtown Raleigh to the airport for $2.25; takes 35–50 minutes but service is limited in the evenings and does not run all night.Ride-shares (Uber/Lyft) from downtown Raleigh: $20–30, 20–25 minutes. From Durham: $18–25, 15–20 minutes. Taxis: $30–40. Long-term parking from $7/day in Economy lots with shuttle service. I-40 provides direct access to both Raleigh and Durham.

RDU–MDW Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Raleigh/Durham to Chicago route.
Route details
Distance631 mi / 1,016 km
Flight time2h to 2h 5m
Time difference-1 hour
Airlines (nonstop)1
Weekly flights33 out / 33 return
1-stop connections84 hubs
Origin: RDU
IATA / ICAORDU / KRDU
TimezoneAmerica/Kentucky/Monticello
Passengers/yr15.2M
Elevation435 ft / 133 m
Destination: MDW
IATA / ICAOMDW / KMDW
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr20.7M
Elevation620 ft / 189 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about RDU to MDW flights.
Nonstop flights from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to Chicago Midway International Airport take approximately 2h to 2h 5m. The route covers 631 miles.
1 airline operates nonstop service: Southwest Airlines.
There are approximately 33 nonstop flights per week from RDU to MDW. The return direction has about 33 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through DAY, CVG, ERI, CAK, ORF, IAD, LIT, TEB, CHS, AGS, PDK, HHH, YYZ, FTY, SAV, SSI, FTW, SYR, HPN, BED, BTV, APF, PBI, MMU, BCT, OKC, BZN, SAT, SDF, CMH, SNA, VNY, RNO, IND, YVR, SAN, SJC, RIC, PNS, CUN, PUJ, ATL, DAL, CLT, ROC, MEM, DCA, BWI, BNA, DTW, STL, ALB, TPA, PIT, IAH, CLE, MSP, BDL, MCO, EWR, DFW, LAS, PVD, MCI, DEN, SRQ, BOS, AUS, MSY, HOU, LGA, ORD, RSW, PHL, MIA, FLL, PHX, SEA, LAX, JAX, MHT, SFO, SLC and SJU. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Chicago is 1 hour behind Raleigh/Durham.
Yes, return flights from MDW to RDU 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.

Flights from RDU to MDW

Raleigh-Durham International Airport (RDU) and Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW) are connected by nonstop service from Southwest Airlines. With 33 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.

RDU to MDW Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from RDU to MDW ranges from 2 hours 0 minutes to 2 hours 5 minutes. The route covers a distance of 631 miles (1,016 km). There are approximately 33 weekly flights outbound and 33 return, totaling 66 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

84 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 3 hours via DAY. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs.