Chicago from Birmingham, 16 – 18 Oct: £1,582 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- Club Quarters Hotel Central Loop, Chicago, rated 8.2 by 5,336 guests
- Highs 56–63°F, little rain expected
- No passport needed
The catch: Not nonstop: 2 stops on the way, 38h 26m in all.
Worth it if you want to walk, eat and see things; skip it if you want to switch off.
Round trip from Birmingham to Chicago is $603 per person ($1,206 for two) for Oct 16–18, 2026, 2 nights, on MX + F9 with 2 stops. A nonstop on American is $615 per person. Highs are 56–63°F with little rain expected, and the best-value hotel, Club Quarters Hotel Central Loop, Chicago, is $893 for both nights.
The total, before you go
£1,582 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £909 |
| Club Quarters Hotel Central Loop, Chicago, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | £673 |
| The total, before you go | £1,582 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £121 |
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £30 each way per bag on Breeze, £121 for two return); a resort fee, if the hotel has one, is collected at the desk. Prices are what we found at the time shown; the booking site’s checkout is the binding one.
The flight
£455 per person, return
£909 for two, taxes and fees included · MX + F9 · 2 stops · 38h 26m
Out Fri, Oct 16, 9:08 PM – Sat, Oct 17, 3:30 PM · back Sun, Oct 18, 7:44 PM – Mon, Oct 19, 3:48 PM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| MX + F9 | £455 | 2 stops | 38h 26m |
| American. Operated by SkyWest Airlines as American Eagle | £464 | nonstop | 2h 30m |
| MX + F9 | £455 | 2 stops | 43h 52m |
Prices checked 13 Oct 2026, 02:28 GMT-5. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
Paid links: when you book through a link on this page, the booking site pays us a referral fee. Your price does not change. How we earn
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Why now
$603 per person matches the median of 9 earlier checks on this route, so it's not a markdown. We saw $509 within the last 30 days. What makes this weekend worth a look is the nonstop. American, operated by SkyWest as American Eagle, is $615 per person. It leaves at 6:29 AM on Friday, Oct 16 and lands at 8:59 AM, 2h 30m later. The $603 fare on MX + F9 has 2 stops: it leaves at 9:08 PM Friday and lands at 3:30 PM Saturday, which eats most of a 2-night trip. For the weather, there's a 56% chance of drizzle Friday with a high of 58°F, Saturday looks clear at 56°F, and Sunday is overcast at 63°F. Bring a jacket for walking the Loop, a river cruise and long dinners.
The kind of trip this is
This is a city weekend built around food, architecture and live music. It's best for a couple or two friends who like to walk a lot and eat well. Mornings are for museums, afternoons for the river and the parks, and nights for deep-dish and a blues club. You'll want a jacket. Two nights is a full but relaxed pace if you take the morning nonstop.
Weather in Chicago, 16 – 18 Oct
Highs 56–63°F, little rain expected
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 16 Oct | 58 °F | 47 °F | 56% |
| Sat 17 Oct | 56 °F | 44 °F | 1% |
| Sun 18 Oct | 63 °F | 47 °F | 1% |
Where to stay in Chicago
We checked three 4-star hotels, and prices are for the 2-night stay. Club Quarters Hotel Central Loop, Chicago is the best-value pick at $893, or $447 a night, for a Club Room. It scores 8.2 from 5,336 reviews and is room only. Riu Plaza Chicago is the top rated, with a 9.1 from 8,456 reviews. It costs $1,368, or $684 a night, for a Deluxe King Room with breakfast and sits in Streeterville, near Michigan Avenue shopping. Congress Plaza Hotel Chicago is the budget option at $718, or $359 a night, for a Queen Room. It scores 7.1 and is the only one of the three with free cancellation. Two of the three are in The Loop, which puts architecture, theatres and Millennium Park at your doorstep.
Club Quarters Hotel Central Loop, Chicago
£673 for 2 nights, two guests · £337 a night
See roomsRiu Plaza Chicago
£1,031 for 2 nights, two guests · £516 a night
See roomsCongress Plaza Hotel Chicago
£541 for 2 nights, two guests · £271 a night
See roomsAll hotels in Chicago for these dates
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Where in Chicago
- The Loop: Architecture, theatres and Millennium Park at your doorstep.
- Magnificent Mile / Streeterville: Shopping on Michigan Avenue and lakefront hotels.
- River North: Galleries, steakhouses and the city's nightlife core.
- West Loop: Converted warehouses with the top restaurant row on Randolph Street.
- Lincoln Park: Leafy neighbourhood with a free zoo and lakefront beaches.
What to do in Chicago
- Take the Chicago Architecture Foundation river cruise on Saturday, when the forecast is clear.
- See the Bean and the fountains in Millennium Park, a short walk from The Loop hotels.
- Eat deep-dish at Lou Malnati's or Pequod's and settle the argument yourselves.
- Spend a few hours at the Art Institute of Chicago if Friday's drizzle shows up.
- Hear live blues at Kingston Mines on Saturday night.
- Catch a Cubs game at Wrigley Field if one is on the schedule that weekend.
Also worth it
- Visit the Art Institute of Chicago
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Birmingham | Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International (BHM) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Chicago | Chicago O'Hare International (ORD), Chicago Midway International (MDW) |
| Flight time | 38h 26m (2 stops) |
| Distance | 580 miles each way |
| Time difference | same time zone |
What 2 nights in Chicago costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £909 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Club Quarters Hotel Central Loop, Chicago) | £673 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | £392 |
| Total for two | £1,974 |
Flights and hotel are the prices we found; spending is a planning estimate for an upscale destination, per person per day times two.
Price history: Birmingham to Chicago
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £455 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £384 (13 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £455 |
| Price checks | 9 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travellers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for Chicago.
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- No passport needed, you pay in US dollars, and Chicago is on the same time as Birmingham.
- The $603 fare has 2 stops and takes 38h 26m on the way out. The $615 American nonstop takes 2h 30m.
- Both fares fly from Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International (BHM) to Chicago O'Hare International (ORD).
- Of the three hotels, only Congress Plaza Hotel Chicago offers free cancellation.
- Prices are all-in, with taxes and fees, as of when we checked. They can change before you book.
Questions readers ask
How much is the flight?
The lowest fare we found is $603 per person, or $1,206 for two, on MX + F9 with 2 stops. A nonstop on American, operated by SkyWest as American Eagle, is $615 per person, or $1,230 for two. Both prices include taxes and fees as of when we checked.
Why not just take the $603 fare?
It leaves Friday at 9:08 PM and lands Saturday at 3:30 PM. The return leaves Sunday at 7:44 PM and gets in Monday at 3:48 PM. The nonstop leaves at 6:29 AM Friday and lands at 8:59 AM, so you get the whole weekend.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic trip, you pay in US dollars, and Chicago is on the same time as Birmingham.
What is the weather like?
The forecast for Friday is 58°F with a 56% chance of drizzle. Saturday looks clear at 56°F, and Sunday is overcast at 63°F. Lows run 44–47°F, so pack a warm layer for the evenings.
What does the whole weekend cost?
Our estimate for two is $2,619. That's $1,206 for the flights, $893 for Club Quarters Hotel Central Loop, Chicago and $520 for spending, which works out to $130 per person a day.
Is 2 nights enough?
It is if you fly the morning nonstop. That gives you Friday, Saturday and most of Sunday for the river cruise, Millennium Park, the Art Institute, deep-dish and a night of blues.
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Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.
Image credits
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