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The Ultimate Chicago City Guide: Flights & Tour info

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A beautiful, snow-filled wonderland, Chicago city exhibits a lively, welcoming ambiance. During the winter the city’s downtown and neighborhoods shine brightly with snowflakes. Chicago is the most populous city in the US state of Illinois and is located on the southwestern shores of Lake Michigan. When the Great Chicago Fire destroyed almost everything in the city, no one would have imagined that it would lead to the largest building boom in the history of America.

The city ushered in the skyscraper era with the construction of Chicago’s first steel-frame high-rise building, the Home Insurance Building. Following its construction, many other companies started building cloud kissing structures and soon the city’s skyline became impenetrable with such buildings. Chicago tourism recorded 55 million visitors in 2017. In 2016, Chicago saw 54.1 million visitors; a 2.9% increase from 2015. In 2015, it was estimated that 50.1 million visitors came to Chicago, which was a 4.5 percent increase from 2014.

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Quick Info

Country: USA
Total Area: 606.1 km2
Population: 27.1 lakhs (2019)
Language: English, the most common languages spoken in homes also Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Tagalog, and Chinese.
Currency: United States Dollars (USD)
Time Zone: Central (UTC-6), Summer (DST), Central (UTC-5)
Major Airport: O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Major Airlines: Hub for: – American Airlines & United Airlines
Focus city for Frontier Airlines &Spirit

Airlines flying from Chicago

In total there are 46 airlines flying from and to Chicago. Most flights are operated by one of the following carriers:

 United Airlines (UA) 213 destinations
American Airlines (AA) 168 destinations
Spirit Airlines (NK) 21 destinations
Frontier Airlines (F9) 19 destinations
Southwest Airlines (WN) 12 destinations
Delta Airlines (DL) 10 destinations
VivaAerobus (VB) 6 destinations
Alaska Airlines (AS) 6 destinations
Volaris Airlines(Y4) 5 destinations

Flights From Chicago

American Airlines flights from Chicago: Chicago has a great network of flights to destinations all over the world. The following is an overview of all non-stop intercontinental flights operating from O’Hare International Airport (formerly Orchard Depot Fi (ORD).

Non-stop flights from Chicago to Europe: 

United Airlines (Star Alliance) has a significant network of flights from Chicago to Europe.

Non-stop flights from Chicago to Canada

Non-stop flights from Chicago to South America

Non-stop flights from Chicago to Central America

Non-stop flights from Chicago to the Caribbean

Non-stop flights from Chicago to Africa

Non-stop flights from Chicago to the Middle-East / Western Asia

Non-stop flights from Chicago to India / South Asia

Non-stop flights from Chicago to Japan

Non-stop flights from Chicago to East Asia: Cathay Pacific

Cathay Pacific (Oneworld): year-round to Hong Kong (HKG).

Non-stop flights from Chicago to South-East Asia

Non-stop flights from Chicago to Central Asia

Non-stop flights from Chicago to Australia / New Zealand / Oceania / the Pacific

International flights from Chicago

Best time to go Chicago

Spring (April to the end of May) and fall (September to the end of October) are both excellent times to visit Chicago, thanks to pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds.

Fall is especially nice, with daily temperatures averaging 60-70°F (15-21°C). You need to pack a sweater for this time of year, but tourist attractions are less crowded and hotel/hostel rooms are cheaper.

Summer (June-August) is the peak season in Chicago. It’s hot, with temperatures reaching the mid-80s°F (high 20s°C), and tourist crowds are at their highest. Although it’s nice to take advantage of the weather, keep in mind that prices increase for accommodations and vacancies are low. August can be rainy, so pack a light rain jacket.

Avoid visiting in winter unless you don’t mind some super cold days! The wind can be sharp during the winter months in Chicago, but if you want to do a lot of museum hopping or sightseeing indoors, you can save a lot of money on accommodations.

Chicago’s history is a big part of what makes it so unique. Taking a tour is definitely recommended if you want to learn about the city’s storied past, from the notorious gangsters to the famous buildings. Below are some of the most popular or unique tours on offer in the city.

Chicago Sightseeing Tours:

The four-hour Chicago Grand Half-Day Tour is the perfect way to be able to see and learn about the city’s most important landmark buildings and sights. The narrated coach tour takes a scenic route along the lake through Grant Park and past some of its most iconic attractions; drives down Chicago’s Magnificent Mile; and tours the South Side, where you can see President Obama’s former home.

For general sightseeing, the Hop-On Hop-Off Bus or Trolley Tour is the easiest and most convenient way to see the highlights of the city and to get oriented. For first-timers, this is a must. Get on and off at the sights that interest you, skip those that don’t, and learn a little history from this narrated tour.

If you are spending more than one day in the city, do this tour on day one to get the layout of the city and figure out where you might want to spend the rest of your time.

If you are visiting during the warmer months, consider taking a Segway Tour. These are small groups of just eight people and one guide. You will be given a short training session and then head off on a guided tour.

Chicago Special Interest Tours:

The Chicago Mob and Crime Tour is one of those unique tours that can only exist in certain cities, like Chicago. This tour takes you to sites associated with some of the city’s most notorious gangsters of the 20th century, including Al Capone and John Dillinger. Anyone who reads crime novels will love this tour.
During the summer months, check out the Chicago Architecture River Cruise. You don’t have to be an expert to appreciate the city’s fine buildings, and this 75-minute cruise is a great way to see and learn about Chicago’s architecture.

What are the best things to do in Chicago?

The Chicago’s Attractions

  1. Cloud Gate (The Bean): If you have seen photos of Chicago on Instagram or Facebook, chances are you have seen photos of Cloud Gate (which most people call The Bean), the famous mirrored sculpture in Millennium Park.
    Millennium Park is usually crowded (especially in the summer and on weekends) so to avoid the crowds visit early in the morning or later in the day. If you are visiting Chicago with children, you might want to also visit Maggie Daley Park, a large public park connected to Millennium Park that has play areas for kids of various ages.
  2. Navy Pier: Some locals consider Navy Pier a bit of a tourist trap, but it is a not to missed attraction if you are visiting Chicago with kids. Navy Pier is full of fun things to do including a large Ferris wheel, restaurants, shops, the Chicago Children’s Museum, and the Chicago Shakespeare Theater. Navy Pier is also the starting point for various sightseeing cruises and boat rides. Navy Pier is free although you have to pay for the attractions and restaurants.
  3. Great Museums: Chicago has many great museums which are well known and worth visiting. Depending on how much you enjoy museums, you might want to spend some time in one or more of them when visiting Chicago.
    • To save money on entrance fees and skip long lines if you are visiting several museums, consider purchasing a Chicago CityPASS. Take advantage of free museum days. Some of the best Chicago museums offer free admission on the first weekend of every month to Bank of America credit or debit cardholders under the Bank of America Museums on Us program.
  4. Architecture: Chicago has amazing architecture and the best way to see it is by taking an architecture river cruise. Because the water sometimes freezes in the winter, river cruises only operate part of the year.
  5. Chicago Riverwalk: The Chicago Riverwalk, a pedestrian promenade along the river, is another must-see Chicago attraction especially in the summer. The Riverwalk is one of the best spots in Chicago for people watching and it has restaurants, bars, and other spots to sit along the way.
  6. Skyscrapers: Chicago is famous for its tall skyscrapers especially the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower and what locals still call it) which used to be the tallest building in the world from 1974 until 1998. One of the best ways to see Chicago is to check out the view from one of its two tallest buildings. Chicago has two famous skyscrapers with observation decks:
  7. Famous Chicago Food: Chicago is one of the best cities in the world for food lovers! Although Chicago is famous for certain dishes – there is so much more great food in Chicago. Don’t limit yourself to just these iconic Chicago dishes, but you should definitely try these once! If you don’t have plans to visit Chicago soon, you can order some of these dishes online and enjoy a home.
    • If your time in Chicago is short, consider a food tour:
  8. Chicago-style hot dog: A Chicago-style hot dog or Chicago dog is one of the two foods that Chicago is most famous for. The classic version of the Chicago dog is an all-beef hot dog served on a poppy seed bun and topped with yellow mustard, pickle, relish, sliced tomato, onions, sport peppers, and celery salt. Ketchup is famously not allowed.
  9. Italian beef sandwich: Although not as well-known as deep-dish pizza and Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef is another dish Chicago is famous for. Al’s Italian Beef is the best and most famous place in Chicago to try an Italian beef sandwich. Another good spot is Portillos if you are there for a Chicago hot dog.
  10. Art Institute of Chicago: The Art Institute of Chicago is a world-class museum with hundreds of thousands of artworks. The diverse collection spans thousands of years and includes pieces from a variety of media including painting, prints, photography, sculpture, decorative arts, textiles, architectural drawings, and more.
  11. Museum of Science and Industry: At the north end of Jackson Park is the Museum of Science and Industry, founded in 1933, and arguably the most impressive museum in Chicago. It is devoted to the application of natural laws in technological and industrial development.
  12. 360 Chicago: Located in the John Hancock Center office building, 360 Chicago is an observation deck on the 94th floor of the John Hancock Building, easy to recognize by its dark metallic-looking exterior and cross-braced steel design, which runs up the outside of the building. The large glass-walled observation deck has views that look out over Chicago’s skyline and beyond.
  13. More adventurous tourists will love the deck’s newest feature, “Tilt,” which gives visitors a unique view from more than 1,000 feet above the Magnificent Mile as they are tipped outward at an angle to look straight down from the glass enclosure.
  14. Take a Tour or See a Game at Wrigley Field: Wrigley Field, home to the Chicago Cubs, was built in 1914 and is the second-oldest Major League Baseball Park in the US, second only to Fenway Park in Boston. The Park has seen some legendary moments in baseball history, including the 1917 no-hitter pitching duel between the Cubs’ Jim Vaughn and the Reds’ Fred Toney, and Babe Ruth’s “called shot” during game three of the 1932 World Series.
  15. Lincoln Park: Lincoln Park is a six-mile stretch of green space along the edge of Lake Michigan, and Chicago’s biggest park. This popular park is home to the lovely Lincoln Park Conservatory and the Lincoln Park Zoo, one of the oldest zoos in the country. Also located here is the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, and the Chicago History Museum.
  16. Shedd Aquarium: If Lake Michigan has you wondering what sort of aquatic life exists just offshore from downtown Chicago, swing by the Shedd Aquarium. Inside are exhibits that cover aquatic regions of the world, from the Arctic to the Caribbean.
  17. Lincoln Park Zoo: Another fun thing for families to do in Chicago is a trip to the Lincoln Park Zoo. The zoo is home to over 200 species from around the world. Sixteen different exhibits showcase the wonderful animals that we share this world with. Some of the most entertaining animals include penguins, otters, and seals. For a truly fascinating experience, stop by the Regenstein Center for African Apes.
  18. The Rookery Building: The Rookery Building was designed by architects Daniel Burnham and John Root in 1888, but the interior lobby and patio were remodeled by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1907. This 12-story building has a Roman Revival and Queen Anne-style façade, but it is the central light court and the ornamental ironwork of the elegant staircases that are the true gem of the building.

Chicago Travel Guide: Money-Saving Tips

Chicago is an expensive city, especially when it comes to attractions and accommodation. But, like any major city, there are always pockets of affordability if you know where to look. Here are some ways to save money in Chicago:

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