Washington to Chicago flights
Chicago lies 956 km (594 mi) north-west of Washington, -1 h on the clock. What the numbers say about getting there, and where to book.
A nonstop flight would take about 1 h 59 min gate to gate, based on the distance and typical cruise speed with taxi and climb allowed for; connecting itineraries add the layover on top.
| Washington | Chicago | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | United States | United States |
| Population | 689,545 | 2.7 million |
| Elevation | 6 m (20 ft) | 180 m (591 ft) |
| Time now | UTC-4 (America/New_York) | UTC-5 (America/Chicago) |
| Nearest large airport | DCA, 5 km out | MDW, 11 km out |
| Postal codes | 20001–56972 | 60601–60701 |
Clocks in Chicago are 1 h behind Washington right now, so a 1 h 59 min journey lands only 59 min later by the destination clock.
Airports at each end
Leaving Washington
Washington is served by 3 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), 5 km (3 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 7,169 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD, 37 km), Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI, 45 km).
Arriving in Chicago
Chicago is served by 4 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW), 11 km (7 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 6,522 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD, 25 km), Gary/Chicago International Airport (GYY, 33 km), Michigan City Municipal Airport (MGC, 71 km).
| Airport | Code | From centre | Longest runway | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Midway International Airport | MDW | 11 km (7 mi) | 6,522 ft | 620 ft |
| Chicago O'Hare International Airport | ORD | 25 km (16 mi) | 13,000 ft | 680 ft |
| Gary/Chicago International Airport (regional) | GYY | 33 km (21 mi) | 8,859 ft | 591 ft |
| Michigan City Municipal Airport (regional) | MGC | 71 km (44 mi) | 4,099 ft | 655 ft |
Book a flight to Chicago
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Staying in Chicago
Our booking partner lists 1,320+ places to stay in Chicago (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 651 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (290), and 15 are five-star. Across 244 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.5 out of 10. Guests have left 312,247 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Chicago
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Common questions
How far is Chicago from Washington?
956 km (594 mi) in a straight line, north-west of Washington.
How long does it take to get from Washington to Chicago by air?
About 1 h 59 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds for a nonstop flight. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Washington and Chicago?
Chicago is 1 h behind at the moment (America/Chicago against America/New_York).
Which airports are used for Washington to Chicago flights?
Typically Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) to Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW); Chicago also has ORD, GYY, MGC.
Where can I stay in Chicago?
Our booking partner lists 1,320+ places to stay in Chicago, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 14 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.