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

SJO Airport Page →
2,221 mi airlines 15/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 5 flights Verified 6h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
AA2824
AA American
7M8
6:00 AM
CST TM
12:31 PM
CDT
5h 31m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA540
AA American
B38M
6:00 AM
CST T1
12:24 PM
CDT
5h 24m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1952
UA United
7M8
1:28 PM
CST TM
7:43 PM
CDT
5h 15m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1135
UA United
7M8
8:09 AM
CDT T1
12:09 PM
CST
5h
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA375
AA American
B38M
4:56 PM
CDT T3
9:15 PM
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
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San José (Alajuela) to Chicago
2 carriers, 15 flights/week nonstop.
2 Airlines 15 Flights/wk 2,221 mi 5h 15m nonstop +1h ahead 44 1-stop hubs

SJO–ORD is served by 2 airlines with nonstop service. American Airlines and United Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 2,221 miles in approximately 5h 15m. Beyond nonstop, 44 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
AA American Airlines 8 7M8, B38M 5h24-5h31 Oneworld
UA United Airlines 7 7M8 5h15 Star Alliance
Aircraft on this route
7M8 Boeing 737 MAX 8 – AA, UA
B38MAA
Alliance coverage
Oneworld: AA (8 flights/wk, 53%)
Star Alliance: UA (7 flights/wk, 47%)
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
2
flights
Tue
3
flights
Wed
2
flights
Thu
2
flights
Fri
2
flights
Sat
2
flights
Sun
2
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
3
Nonstop flights
15
Outbound / wk
14
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for SJO to ORD.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
44
Hubs
~6h
Fastest
~43h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
2,677
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
SJO → ORD
90%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Arriving
90%
Return
ORD → SJO
32%
Frequent delays expected. Consider flexible booking.
Departing
32%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. ORD delays →

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 15 20
Flight time 5h 15m 5h 7m
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 15m to 5h 31m.
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 15m to 5h 31m
Time difference+1 hour
Airlines (nonstop)2
Weekly flights15 out / 14 return
1-stop connections44 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 15m to 5h 31m. The route covers 2,221 miles.
2 airlines operate nonstop service: American Airlines and United Airlines.
There are approximately 15 nonstop flights per week from SJO to ORD. The return direction has about 14 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through LCK, APF, MEM, TYS, MSY, SRQ, PBI, TEB, ILM, DSM, AUS, DAL, SDQ, SAT, SEA, GUA, MEX, JFK, YUL, PTY, IAH, BOG, MIA, IAD, YYZ, DFW, MAD, MCO, BNA, LAX, ATL, EWR, BWI, LIR, CLT, FLL, DEN, TPA, SFO, CDG, GDL, FRA, 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 15 weekly departures, this is a well served route.

SJO to ORD Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from SJO to ORD ranges from 5 hours 15 minutes to 5 hours 31 minutes. The route covers a distance of 2,221 miles (3,575 km). There are approximately 15 weekly flights outbound and 14 return, totaling 29 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

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