San José (Alajuela) to Chicago (SJO–ORD) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

SJO Airport Page →
2,221 mi airlines 3/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 3 flights Verified 17m ago
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  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
✈ Nonstop
UA3049
UA United
B38M
8:00 AM
CST
2:34 PM
CDT
5h 34m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1952
UA United
B38M
1:00 PM
CST
7:35 PM
CDT
5h 35m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1135
UA United
B38M
7:36 AM
CDT T1
11:55 AM
CST
5h 19m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP More options, longer trips
2-STOP Loading... Reach the hardest destinations
San José (Alajuela) to Chicago
2 carriers, 3 flights/week nonstop.
2 Airlines 3 Flights/wk 2,221 mi 5h 34m nonstop +1h ahead 50 1-stop hubs

SJO–ORD is served by 2 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines and American Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 2,221 miles in approximately 5h 34m. Beyond nonstop, 50 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop SJO–ORD service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
UA United Airlines 3 B38M 5h34-5h35 Star Alliance
AA American Airlines 0 Oneworld
Aircraft on this route
B38M Boeing 737 MAX 8 – UA
Alliance coverage
Star Alliance: UA (3 flights/wk, 100%)
Oneworld: AA (0 flights/wk, 0%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, SJO to ORD direction.
Mon
0
flights
Tue
0
flights
Wed
0
flights
Thu
0
flights
Fri
1
flight
Sat
1
flight
Sun
1
flight
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
2
Nonstop flights
3
Outbound / wk
1
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for SJO to ORD.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
50
Hubs
~6h
Fastest
~43h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
2,570
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.

Other ways to reach Chicago from San José (Alajuela)

Nearby airports with service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
Metric SJO→ORD LIR→ORD
Distance from SJO 100 mi
Nonstop airlines 2 3
Weekly flights 3 4
Flight time 5h 34m 5h 26m
Airports within 200 miles of SJO with service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
+1h
Chicago is 1 hour ahead of San José (Alajuela).
SJO: CST · ORD: CDT

When it's 6:00 PM in San José (Alajuela), it's 7:00 PM in Chicago.
Distance & Flight Time
2,221 mi / 3,575 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 5h 34m to 5h 35m.
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.

SJO–ORD Quick Facts

Key statistics for the San José (Alajuela) to Chicago route.
Route details
Distance2,221 mi / 3,575 km
Flight time5h 34m to 5h 35m
Time difference+1 hour
Airlines (nonstop)2
Weekly flights3 out / 1 return
1-stop connections50 hubs
Origin: SJO
IATA / ICAOSJO / MROC
TimezoneAmerica/Costa_Rica
Passengers/yr7.5M
Elevation3,021 ft / 921 m
Destination: ORD
IATA / ICAOORD / KORD
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr80.0M
Elevation680 ft / 207 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SJO to ORD flights.
Nonstop flights from Juan Santamaría International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport take approximately 5h 34m to 5h 35m. The route covers 2,221 miles.
2 airlines operate nonstop service: American Airlines and United Airlines.
There are approximately 3 nonstop flights per week from SJO to ORD. The return direction has about 1 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through MSY, LCK, APF, MEM, TYS, SRQ, PBI, TPA, CHS, TEB, ILM, BNA, HOU, RDU, DSM, IAD, DAL, AUS, SDQ, SXM, SAT, SEA, JFK, BOG, YUL, BQH, MEX, GDL, DFW, PTY, LAX, IAH, GUA, BWI, FLL, ATL, MIA, YYZ, MCO, EWR, MSP, CLT, DEN, LIR, SFO, FRA, CDG, MAD, AMS and ZRH. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Chicago is 1 hour ahead of San José (Alajuela).
Yes, return flights from ORD to SJO are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include LIR. See the Alternatives section for a full comparison.
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 SJO to ORD

Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) are connected by nonstop service from American Airlines and United Airlines. With 3 weekly departures, this is a regularly served route.

SJO to ORD Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from SJO to ORD ranges from 5 hours 34 minutes to 5 hours 35 minutes. The route covers a distance of 2,221 miles (3,575 km). There are approximately 3 weekly flights outbound and 1 return, totaling 4 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

50 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 6 hours via MSY. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Liberia (LIR).