Santa Ana to Chicago (SNA–ORD) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

SNA Airport Page →
1,723 mi airlines 110/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 29 flights Verified 1h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
AC5171
AC Air Canada
7M8
6:45 AM
PDT
12:55 PM
CDT
4h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA587
UA United
7M8
6:45 AM
PDT
12:55 PM
CDT
4h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS4336
AS Alaska
7M8
7:45 AM
PDT TA
1:55 PM
CDT
4h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA2590
AA American
7M8
7:45 AM
PDT TA
1:55 PM
CDT
4h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
EI7215
EI Aer Lingus
7M8
7:45 AM
PDT
1:55 PM
CDT
4h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
BA5678
BA British
B38M
7:45 AM
PDT TA
1:55 PM
CDT
4h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA2426
UA United
B38M
10:52 AM
PDT
4:55 PM
CDT
4h 3m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS4238
AS Alaska
B38M
11:41 AM
PDT TA
5:50 PM
CDT
4h 9m
M T W T F S S
Prices
EI7191
EI Aer Lingus
7M8
11:41 AM
PDT TA
5:50 PM
CDT
4h 9m
M T W T F S S
Prices
GF6468
GF Gulf
7M8
11:41 AM
PDT
5:50 PM
CDT
4h 9m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA2285
AA American
7M8
12:14 PM
PDT TA
6:31 PM
CDT
4h 17m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA1502
AA American
7M8
1:36 PM
PDT
7:59 PM
CDT
4h 23m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1352
UA United
7M8
2:17 PM
PDT
8:34 PM
CDT
4h 17m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA2908
AA American
7M8
2:47 PM
PDT
9:04 PM
CDT
4h 17m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS4237
AS Alaska
7M8
3:23 PM
PDT
9:35 PM
CDT
4h 12m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA2212
AA American
B38M
3:24 PM
PDT TA
9:36 PM
CDT
4h 12m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA2285
AA American
7M8
8:10 AM
CDT T3
10:46 AM
PDT
4h 36m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS4238
AS Alaska
B38M
8:15 AM
CDT T3
10:51 AM
PDT
4h 36m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1304
UA United
737
9:42 AM
CDT T3
12:52 PM
PDT
5h 10m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA2908
AA American
7M8
11:21 AM
CDT T3
1:56 PM
PDT
4h 35m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS4237
AS Alaska
7M8
11:49 AM
CDT T3
2:23 PM
PDT
4h 34m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA2212
AA American
7M8
11:49 AM
CDT T3
2:23 PM
PDT
4h 34m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA1317
UA United
7M8
4:26 PM
CDT T1
6:28 PM
PDT
4h 2m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AS4236
AS Alaska
7M8
5:14 PM
CDT T3
8:01 PM
PDT
4h 47m
M T W T F S S
Prices
GF4167
GF Gulf
7M8
6:54 PM
CDT T3
9:39 PM
PDT
4h 45m
M T W T F S S
Prices
EI7262
EI Aer Lingus
B38M
6:54 PM
CDT T3
9:39 PM
PDT
4h 45m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA2315
UA United
73G
7:40 PM
CDT T1
10:26 PM
PDT
4h 46m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA308
UA United
7M8
7:49 PM
CDT T1
10:30 PM
PDT
4h 41m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AA1179
AA American
7M8
8:35 PM
CDT T3
10:26 PM
PDT
3h 51m
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...
Santa Ana to Chicago
7 carriers, 110 flights/week nonstop.
7 Airlines 110 Flights/wk 1,723 mi 4h 3m nonstop +2h ahead 79 1-stop hubs

SNA–ORD is served by 7 airlines with nonstop service. American Airlines, Alaska Airlines and United Airlines lead the route. The flight covers 1,723 miles in approximately 4h 3m. Beyond nonstop, 79 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop SNA–ORD service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
AA American Airlines 35 7M8, B38M 4h10-4h23 73% Oneworld
AS Alaska Airlines 21 7M8, B38M 4h09-4h12 73% Oneworld
UA United Airlines 20 7M8, B38M 4h03-4h17 73% Star Alliance
EI Aer Lingus 14 7M8 4h09-4h10 73%
BA British Airways 7 B38M 4h10 73% Oneworld
GF Gulf Air 7 7M8 4h09 73%
AC Air Canada 6 7M8 4h10 73% Star Alliance
Aircraft on this route
7M8 Boeing 737 MAX 8 – AA, AC, AS, EI, GF, UA
B38MAA, AS, BA, UA
Alliance coverage
Oneworld: AA + AS + BA (63 flights/wk, 57%)
Star Alliance: AC + UA (26 flights/wk, 24%)
Unaffiliated: EI + GF (21 flights/wk, 19%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, SNA to ORD direction.
Mon
16
flights
Tue
16
flights
Wed
16
flights
Thu
16
flights
Fri
16
flights
Sat
16
flights
Sun
14
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
16
Nonstop flights
110
Outbound / wk
90
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for SNA to ORD.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
79
Hubs
~4h
Fastest
~29h
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.

On-Time Performance

What to expect at each end of your journey.
Outbound
SNA → ORD
73%
Moderate delays possible. Allow buffer time.
Departing
73%
Arriving
78%
Return
ORD → SNA
58%
Frequent delays expected. Consider flexible booking.
Departing
58%
Arriving
81%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. SNA delays → ORD delays →

Other ways to reach Chicago from Santa Ana

Nearby airports with service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
Metric SNA→ORD ONT→ORD LAX→ORD
Distance from SNA 30 mi 36 mi
Nonstop airlines 7 1 17
Weekly flights 110 14 370
Flight time 4h 3m 3h 58m 3h 15m
Departure OTP 73%
Airports within 200 miles of SNA with service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
+2h
Chicago is 2 hours ahead of Santa Ana.
SNA: PDT · ORD: CDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Santa Ana, it's 8:00 PM in Chicago.
Distance & Flight Time
1,723 mi / 2,772 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 4h 3m to 4h 23m.
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.

SNA–ORD Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Santa Ana to Chicago route.
Route details
Distance1,723 mi / 2,772 km
Flight time4h 3m to 4h 23m
Time difference+2 hours
Airlines (nonstop)7
Weekly flights110 out / 90 return
1-stop connections79 hubs
Origin: SNA
IATA / ICAOSNA / KSNA
TimezoneAmerica/Los_Angeles
Passengers/yr10.7M
Elevation56 ft / 17 m
Destination: ORD
IATA / ICAOORD / KORD
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr80.0M
Elevation680 ft / 207 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about SNA to ORD flights.
Nonstop flights from John Wayne Orange County International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport take approximately 4h 3m to 4h 23m. The route covers 1,723 miles.
There are approximately 110 nonstop flights per week from SNA to ORD. The return direction has about 90 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through MQY, UDD, MCI, SUS, MKC, SCF, MAF, BNA, RIL, IRK, FTW, SAF, FSD, ASE, GRB, CXO, IND, HDN, SAN, RST, JAC, BZN, GRR, EGE, BFI, YWG, SAT, ABQ, CLE, EUG, SUN, YYZ, TEB, BWI, IAD, RDU, GSP, SRQ, TPA, OPF, PVD, PBI, FLL, BOS, MIA, NAS, SJU, OGG, SMF, SJC, ATL, EWR, LAS, IAH, DTW, SFO, PHX, DFW, DEN, MSP, SLC, CLT, PDX, SEA, HND, DAL, AUS, GEG, TUS, DSM, COS, YYC, RNO, JFK, YVR, BOI, GJT, SJD and PVR. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Chicago is 2 hours ahead of Santa Ana.
Yes, return flights from ORD to SNA are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include ONT, LAX and SAN. 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 SNA to ORD

John Wayne Orange County International Airport (SNA) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) are connected by nonstop service from American Airlines, Air Canada, Alaska Airlines, British Airways, Aer Lingus, Gulf Air and United Airlines. With 110 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.

SNA to ORD Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from SNA to ORD ranges from 4 hours 3 minutes to 4 hours 23 minutes. The route covers a distance of 1,723 miles (2,772 km). There are approximately 110 weekly flights outbound and 90 return, totaling 200 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

79 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 4 hours via MQY. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Ontario (ONT), Los Angeles (LAX) and San Diego (SAN).