Boston to Chicago flights
about 431 flights a week across 34 operators. Below: the aircraft mix, and what the safety record and the turbulence model say for this route.
Route FAQ
How long does the flight from Boston to Chicago take?
Flight time from Boston (BOS) to Chicago (ORD) depends on routing, aircraft type, and whether the flight is direct or connecting. A direct flight typically reflects great-circle distance plus winds, while one-stop options can add several hours depending on the layover airport. The typical block time and frequency we have observed for this route are shown above.
Which airlines fly from Boston to Chicago?
Airline availability for BOS to ORD changes by season and sometimes week to week as carriers adjust capacity. The airlines and aircraft types observed operating this route, both direct and connecting, are listed below based on real flight-tracking data.
Are there direct flights from Boston to Chicago?
Direct (nonstop) availability on BOS to ORD varies by date, day of week, and season. Busy city pairs usually have multiple daily nonstops, while thinner routes may only have direct service a few days per week or only during peak seasons.
No fatal or serious occurrence involving any operator on this pair in the last 90 days.
- SkyWest64
- United Airlines40
- Delta Air Lines40
- American Airlines40
- Republic AirlinesNo data
| Carrier | Sightings / 90d | Safety events |
|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 6 sightings | No recorded events |
| Delta Air Lines | 4 sightings | No recorded events |
| American Airlines | 3 sightings | No recorded events |
| Republic Airlines | 2 sightings | No recorded events |
| SkyWest | 1 sighting | No recorded events |
Flight patterns on BOS → ORD
We observed 5536 flights on this route over the last 90 days (about 430.6 per week) across 34 airlines.
Departures cluster around 16:00–17:00 UTC, 19:00–20:00 UTC, 11:00–12:00 UTC, busiest on Tuesday and Friday.
On-time performance: 27% of departures left within 15 minutes of schedule (average delay 92.7 min, based on 1591 timed flights).
Historically, 77.4% of flights on BOS → ORD arrived within 15 minutes of schedule (average arrival delay 7 min; 3.8% cancelled), across 189,711 flights from 1987–2025. Source: U.S. DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS).
In 2025, 1,791,390 passengers flew between BOS and ORD (both directions) on 14,357 flights, led by UA. Source: U.S. DOT BTS T-100. US air traffic.
Carrier on-time performance (last 12 months)
| Carrier | On-time % | Avg delay | Flights |
|---|---|---|---|
| United Airlines | 71.3% | 24 min | 5,158 |
| American Airlines | 66.9% | 27.9 min | 4,068 |
| Delta Air Lines | 66.6% | 27.1 min | 1,868 |
| Republic Airlines | 70.5% | 23.2 min | 1,655 |
| JetBlue Airways | 73.8% | 21.6 min | 1,043 |
| Envoy Air | 78.9% | 17.7 min | 869 |
On-time = arrival within 15 minutes of schedule, per U.S. DOT definitions. Source: Bureau of Transportation Statistics (public domain). Delay-cause attribution is reported by carriers since June 2003.
Planning BOS → ORD
BOS to ORD is a short-haul route of 1,391 km (864 mi). See the return ORD → BOS route.
Alternative airports near Boston: Norwood (OWD) — 23 km, Bedford (BED) — 26 km, Beverly (BVY) — 26 km.
Alternative airports near Chicago: Chicago-Wheeling (PWK) — 15 km, Chicago (MDW) — 25 km, Chicago (CGX) — 28 km.