Ottawa to Chicago (YOW–ORD) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

YOW Airport Page →
653 mi airlines 50/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 15 flights Verified 1h ago
Nonstop 1-Stop 2-Stop Hide separate tickets Hide overnight
  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
AC4103
AC Air Canada
E75L
6:20 AM
EDT
8:00 AM
CDT
2h 40m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA3581
UA United
E7W
6:20 AM
EDT
8:00 AM
CDT
2h 40m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA3663
UA United
E7W
10:44 AM
EDT
12:17 PM
CDT
2h 33m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA4526
UA United
CR5
10:44 AM
EDT
12:14 PM
CDT
2h 30m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA4188
UA United
CR7
3:02 PM
EDT
4:25 PM
CDT
2h 23m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AV2173
AV avianca
E7W
5:11 PM
EDT
6:52 PM
CDT
2h 41m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AC3553
AC Air Canada
E75L
5:11 PM
EDT
6:52 PM
CDT
2h 41m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA3659
UA United
E75L
6:05 PM
EDT
7:27 PM
CDT
2h 22m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AC4114
AC Air Canada
CR5
7:25 AM
CDT T2
10:26 AM
EDT
2h 1m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA4496
UA United
CR7
7:25 AM
CDT T2
10:26 AM
EDT
2h 1m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA4386
UA United
CR5
10:37 AM
CDT T2
1:51 PM
EDT
2h 14m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA3661
UA United
E7W
10:43 AM
CDT T2
1:59 PM
EDT
2h 16m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA3509
UA United
E75L
2:00 PM
CDT T2
5:12 PM
EDT
2h 12m
M T W T F S S
Prices
AC3579
AC Air Canada
E7W
6:04 PM
CDT T2
9:18 PM
EDT
2h 14m
M T W T F S S
Prices
UA3402
UA United
E7W
6:04 PM
CDT T2
9:18 PM
EDT
2h 14m
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...
Ottawa to Chicago
4 carriers, 50 flights/week nonstop.
4 Airlines 50 Flights/wk 653 mi 2h 22m nonstop -1h behind 31 1-stop hubs

YOW–ORD is served by 4 airlines with nonstop service. United Airlines, Air Canada and avianca lead the route. The flight covers 653 miles in approximately 2h 22m. Beyond nonstop, 31 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop YOW–ORD service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
UA United Airlines 29 CR5, CR7, E75L, E7W 2h22-2h40 100% Star Alliance
AC Air Canada 14 E75L 2h40-2h41 100% Star Alliance
AV avianca 7 E7W 2h41 100% Star Alliance
G7 GoJet Airlines LLC d/b/a United Express 2 100%
Aircraft on this route
CR5 Bombardier CRJ-550 – UA
CR7 Bombardier CRJ-700 – UA
E75L Embraer E175 Long Wing – AC, UA
E7W Embraer E175 – AV, UA
Alliance coverage
Star Alliance: AC + AV + UA (50 flights/wk, 96%)
Unaffiliated: G7 (2 flights/wk, 4%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, YOW to ORD direction.
Mon
7
flights
Tue
7
flights
Wed
7
flights
Thu
7
flights
Fri
7
flights
Sat
8
flights
Sun
7
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
8
Nonstop flights
50
Outbound / wk
43
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for YOW to ORD.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
31
Hubs
~3h
Fastest
~32h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
1,680
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
YOW → ORD
100%
Generally reliable. Most flights run on time.
Departing
100%
Arriving
100%
Return
ORD → YOW
30%
Frequent delays expected. Consider flexible booking.
Departing
30%
Arriving
0%
OTP = percentage of flights arriving within 15 min of schedule. Based on airport-level delay snapshots. YOW delays → ORD delays →

Other ways to reach Chicago from Ottawa

Nearby airports with service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.
Metric YOW→ORD YUL→ORD
Distance from YOW 94 mi
Nonstop airlines 4 6
Weekly flights 50 112
Flight time 2h 22m 2h 24m
Departure OTP 100%
Airports within 200 miles of YOW with service to Chicago O'Hare International Airport.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
-1h
Chicago is 1 hour behind Ottawa.
YOW: EDT · ORD: CDT

When it's 6:00 PM in Ottawa, it's 5:00 PM in Chicago.
Distance & Flight Time
653 mi / 1,051 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 2h 22m to 2h 41m.
Visa & Entry

Canadian citizens do not need a visa or ESTA to enter the United States for tourism or business stays up to 6 months. A valid Canadian passport is required for air travel. Land and sea crossings also accept a NEXUS card, enhanced driver's license, or FAST card. At the border, officers determine the length of stay and may ask for proof of ties to Canada and a return plan.

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.

YOW–ORD Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Ottawa to Chicago route.
Route details
Distance653 mi / 1,051 km
Flight time2h 22m to 2h 41m
Time difference-1 hour
Airlines (nonstop)4
Weekly flights50 out / 43 return
1-stop connections31 hubs
Origin: YOW
IATA / ICAOYOW / CYOW
TimezoneAmerica/Toronto
Passengers/yr5.5M
Elevation374 ft / 114 m
Destination: ORD
IATA / ICAOORD / KORD
TimezoneAmerica/Chicago
Passengers/yr80.0M
Elevation680 ft / 207 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about YOW to ORD flights.
Nonstop flights from Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport to Chicago O'Hare International Airport take approximately 2h 22m to 2h 41m. The route covers 653 miles.
There are approximately 50 nonstop flights per week from YOW to ORD. The return direction has about 43 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through YHM, SYR, DTW, MEM, YQB, OPF, PLS, GCM, NAS, CUN, TPA, FLL, YUL, YYZ, IAD, EWR, PUJ, LHR, YWG, ATH, MCO, YVR, BOS, DCA, RSW, YYC, MIA, CDG, PHX, PVR and LIR. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Chicago is 1 hour behind Ottawa.
Yes, return flights from ORD to YOW are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include YUL. 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 YOW to ORD

Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW) and Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD) are connected by nonstop service from Air Canada, avianca, GoJet Airlines LLC d/b/a United Express and United Airlines. With 50 weekly departures, this is a heavily served route.

YOW to ORD Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from YOW to ORD ranges from 2 hours 22 minutes to 2 hours 41 minutes. The route covers a distance of 653 miles (1,051 km). There are approximately 50 weekly flights outbound and 43 return, totaling 93 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

31 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 3 hours via YHM. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs. Nearby alternative airports include Montréal (YUL).