Great Smoky Mountains from Chicago, 23 – 25 Oct: £861 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- $429 per person, $118 below the typical fare on this route
- Zoders Inn and Suites in Gatlinburg, 8.2 from 1,812 reviews
- Peak fall foliage, highs of 59–66°F, 10% rain Friday and Saturday
The catch: The $429 fare has one stop and leaves O'Hare at 5:27 AM, and late October brings the busiest weekends of the year.
Worth it if you want fall color and mountain trails for a weekend and don't mind crowds; skip it if you need a quiet park.
Worth it if you can handle an early start and fall crowds. $1,142 for two covers the flights at $858 plus Zoders Inn and Suites at $284 for 2 nights, taxes and fees included; a checked bag, any resort fee and spending money are not in it. The trip runs Oct 23–25, 2026, on Delta from O'Hare to Knoxville with one stop.
The total, before you go
£861 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £647 |
| Zoders Inn and Suites, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | £214 |
| The total, before you go | £861 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £106 |
£89 per person below the typical fare on this route.
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £26 each way per bag on Delta, £106 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
£323 per person, return
£647 for two, taxes and fees included · Delta · 1 stop · 4h 27m
Out Fri, Oct 23, 5:27 AM – Fri, Oct 23, 10:54 AM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Delta | £323 | 1 stop | 4h 27m |
| United | £331 | nonstop | 1h 46m |
| United | £343 | nonstop | 1h 46m |
Prices checked 14 Oct 2026, 03:16 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
The fare is $429 per person, $118 below the typical fare on this route, which runs $547 per person based on 11 earlier checks. Fares we saw for these dates ranged from $429 to $615 per person, so this one sits at the bottom. October is peak fall foliage in the Smokies, and the forecast looks kind to hikers: highs of 59°F Friday, 62°F Saturday and 66°F Sunday, with a 10% rain chance the first two days and a 25% chance of drizzle on Sunday. Lows dip to 37°F, so pack a warm layer for a dawn drive. Add Zoders Inn and Suites at $284 for both nights and the trip comes to $1,142 for two, all in, as found when we checked. It's a quick reset: one short flight, two full mountain days, home Sunday.
The kind of trip this is
A nature weekend built around fall color: misty ridges, waterfall trails, wildlife at dawn and a walkable resort town to come back to at night. It suits a couple or a pair of friends who like to hike in the morning and eat well after. The pace is active but easy, with the option to swap a trail day for Dollywood if you'd rather ride than climb.
Weather in Great Smoky Mountains, 23 – 25 Oct
Highs 59–66°F, little rain expected
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 23 Oct | 59 °F | 41 °F | 10% |
| Sat 24 Oct | 62 °F | 37 °F | 10% |
| Sun 25 Oct | 66 °F | 44 °F | 25% |
Where to stay in Great Smoky Mountains
All three picks are in Gatlinburg, the walkable resort town at the park entrance, so you can leave the car parked at night and be on park roads in minutes. Zoders Inn and Suites is the best value: $284 for the stay ($142 a night) for a King Room, rated 8.2 from 1,812 reviews, though it has no free cancellation. Hotel Indigo Gatlinburg Downtown by IHG is the top rated at 9.4 from 301 reviews, $909 for the stay ($455 a night), with free cancellation. Sidney James Mountain Lodge sits in between at $452 ($226 a night) for a Double Room with Balcony, rated 8.1 from 3,296 reviews. If you plan an early Cades Cove run, Townsend is the quiet side of the Smokies, near the loop.
Zoders Inn and Suites
£214 for 2 nights, two guests · £107 a night
See roomsHotel Indigo Gatlinburg Downtown by IHG
£685 for 2 nights, two guests · £343 a night
See roomsSidney James Mountain Lodge
£341 for 2 nights, two guests · £170 a night
See roomsAll hotels in Great Smoky Mountains for these dates
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Where in Great Smoky Mountains
- Gatlinburg: Walkable resort town at the park entrance with cabins in the hills.
- Pigeon Forge: Family attractions, dinner shows and Dollywood.
- Sevierville: Lower-cost hotels and cabin rentals a short drive out.
- Townsend: The quiet side of the Smokies, near Cades Cove.
- Bryson City, NC: Small-town base on the North Carolina side with the scenic railroad.
What to do in Great Smoky Mountains
- Drive the Cades Cove loop at dawn to look for bears and deer
- Hike to the Clingmans Dome observation tower for the ridge views
- Hike to Laurel Falls or, for a longer day, Alum Cave Bluffs
- Walk the Gatlinburg SkyBridge above town
- Spend a day at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge
Also worth it
- See the synchronous fireflies at Elkmont in June
Tours and tickets in Great Smoky Mountains
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Chicago | Chicago O'Hare International (ORD), Chicago Midway International (MDW) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Great Smoky Mountains | Knoxville McGhee Tyson (TYS), Asheville Regional (AVL) |
| Flight time | 4h 27m (1 stop) |
| Distance | 480 miles each way |
| Time difference | +1 hour |
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
What 2 nights in Great Smoky Mountains costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £647 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Zoders Inn and Suites) | £214 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | £271 |
| Total for two | £1,132 |
Flights and hotel are the prices we found; spending is a planning estimate for a mid-range destination, per person per day times two.
Price history: Chicago to Great Smoky Mountains
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £323 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £316 (12 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £412 |
| Price checks | 11 |
Good to know
- Passport: no passport needed for travellers from the United States: a government photo ID is enough for Great Smoky Mountains.
- Currency: US dollar (USD).
- Peak fall foliage and the busiest weekends of the year
- No passport needed, and you pay in US dollars.
- The Smokies run 1 hour ahead of Chicago.
- The Delta flight is 4h 27m with one stop, landing in Knoxville (TYS) at 10:54 AM.
- A checked bag is about $140 for two and isn't in the $1,142 total.
- Zoders Inn and Suites and Sidney James Mountain Lodge have no free cancellation; Hotel Indigo does.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
For most hikers, yes. The fare is $118 per person below the typical fare on this route, the forecast shows highs of 59–66°F, and the trees are at peak color. The catch is a 5:27 AM departure with one stop, plus one of the busiest weekends of the year.
How much is the whole trip for two?
$1,142, all in: $858 for two Delta round trips plus $284 for 2 nights at Zoders Inn and Suites, taxes and fees included, as found when we checked. A checked bag, about $140 for two, any resort fee and spending money are extra.
Is there a nonstop?
Yes. United flies nonstop in 1h 46m, leaving Friday at 6:03 PM and landing at 8:49 PM, for $439 per person ($878 for two). There's also a 6:59 AM nonstop at $455 per person ($910 for two).
What's the weather like?
Overcast and cool. Highs of 59°F Friday, 62°F Saturday and 66°F Sunday, lows from 37°F to 44°F. The rain chance is 10% Friday and Saturday and 25% Sunday, with drizzle possible.
Is 2 nights enough?
For a first taste, yes. If you land at 10:54 AM Friday, you can fit Cades Cove at dawn and a Clingmans Dome or Laurel Falls hike into Saturday, then a SkyBridge walk before heading home.
Do I need a passport?
No. It's a domestic trip from Chicago to Knoxville (TYS), 480 miles, and you pay in US dollars.
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All trips from Chicago · Great Smoky Mountains from every city · Prices on this route · Trips in October 2026 · Home
Great Smoky Mountains in pictures
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Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.
Image credits
- Photo: Connor Scott McManus / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Owen.outdoors / Pexels, Pexels License
- Photo: Joshua Woroniecki / Pexels, Pexels License