Chicago from Columbus, 23 – 25 Oct: £993 for two, all in
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The verdict
Our verdict
Worth it, if
- $386 per person, $220 below the typical fare on this route
- Hampton Inn scores 8.5 from 734 reviews, breakfast included
- Saturday looks clear at 65°F, good for the river cruise
The catch: The Frontier fare has one stop and takes 8h 57m to cover 275 miles, landing at 12:24 AM Saturday.
Worth it if a late Friday arrival is fine in exchange for a 36% lower fare; skip it if you want Friday night in the city.
Worth it if you don't mind a long Friday: $1,318 for two, all in, covers Frontier flights at $772 plus 2 nights at Hampton Inn Chicago McCormick Place at $546, with taxes and fees included. The trip runs Oct 23–25, 2026, and the outbound flight isn't nonstop: it has one stop and takes 8h 57m. Resort fees, a checked bag and spending money aren't in that total.
The total, before you go
£993 for two · 2 nights · flights, hotel, taxes & fees
| For two | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two, return | £582 |
| Hampton Inn Chicago McCormick Place, 2 nights, two guests, taxes in | £412 |
| The total, before you go | £993 |
| Hold luggage each, return (not in the total) | about £181 |
£166 per person below the typical fare on this route.
Not in it: seat selection on basic fares and hold luggage (about £45 each way per bag on Frontier, £181 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
£291 per person, return
£582 for two, taxes and fees included · Frontier · 1 stop · 8h 57m
Out Fri, Oct 23, 4:27 PM – Sat, Oct 24, 12:24 AM
| Airline | Per person | Stops | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frontier | £291 | 1 stop | 8h 57m |
| American. Operated by Republic Airways as American Eagle | £426 | nonstop | 1h 32m |
| Frontier | £291 | 1 stop | 14h 39m |
Prices checked 13 Oct 2026, 15:54 GMT-4. Prices change; the binding price is the one on the booking site.
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Tweak this trip
Why now
At $386 per person, the Frontier fare is $220 below the typical fare on this route, a 36% gap, and it's the lowest we've seen in 30 days. That makes the flights $772 for two and the whole trip $1,318 with the hotel. That's the price we found when we checked. Prices move, so we can't promise it will hold. The forecast shows a 34% chance of rain and 72°F on Friday, clear skies and 65°F on Saturday, and overcast skies at 58°F on Sunday. Saturday is your day outside: the river cruise, Millennium Park, then deep-dish. If keeping Friday matters more than the savings, American has a nonstop that leaves at 5:24 AM, takes 1h 32m and costs $565 per person.
The kind of trip this is
This is a two-night city getaway for a couple or a pair of friends: architecture, museums, deep-dish and live blues, with the lake as a backdrop. Because you land late Friday, the trip is really one full Saturday and a slower Sunday. Pick two or three things and walk between them. It suits people who care more about food and culture than about a packed schedule.
Weather in Chicago, 23 – 25 Oct
Highs 58–72°F, a small chance of rain
| Day | High | Low | Rain chance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fri 23 Oct | 72 °F | 60 °F | 34% |
| Sat 24 Oct | 65 °F | 55 °F | 28% |
| Sun 25 Oct | 58 °F | 53 °F | 23% |
Where to stay in Chicago
Our pick is Hampton Inn Chicago McCormick Place in the South Loop. It's $546 for both nights ($273 a night), scores 8.5 from 734 reviews and includes breakfast, but it has no free cancellation. It's the best value and the hotel in our total. The top-rated choice is Sable At Navy Pier Chicago, Curio Collection By Hilton on the Near North Side. It scores 8.9 from 886 reviews and costs $799 for the stay ($400 a night), room only. It's near Magnificent Mile / Streeterville, which is good for shopping on Michigan Avenue and walking by the lake. Hilton Garden Inn Chicago McCormick Place, also in the South Loop, is $569 ($285 a night), room only, with 7.9 from 358 reviews. It's the only one of the three with free cancellation. The Loop is where to go for architecture, theaters and Millennium Park.
Hampton Inn Chicago McCormick Place
£412 for 2 nights, two guests · £206 a night
See roomsSable At Navy Pier Chicago, Curio Collection By Hilton
£602 for 2 nights, two guests · £302 a night
See roomsHilton Garden Inn Chicago McCormick Place
£429 for 2 nights, two guests · £215 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, the clear day in the forecast
- See the Bean and the fountains in Millennium Park
- Eat deep-dish at Lou Malnati's or Pequod's
- Spend Sunday morning at the Art Institute of Chicago if it's overcast
- Hear live blues at Kingston Mines on Saturday night
Also worth it
- Visit the Art Institute of Chicago
- Catch a Cubs game at Wrigley Field
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Getting there and around
| Airports in Columbus | John Glenn Columbus International (CMH), Rickenbacker International (LCK) |
|---|---|
| Airports in Chicago | Chicago O'Hare International (ORD), Chicago Midway International (MDW) |
| Flight time | 8h 57m (1 stop) |
| Distance | 275 miles each way |
| Time difference | -1 hour |
What 2 nights in Chicago costs
| Estimate | |
|---|---|
| Flights for two | £582 |
| Hotel, 2 nights (Hampton Inn Chicago McCormick Place) | £412 |
| Food, getting around and tickets, 2 days for two | £392 |
| Total for two | £1,385 |
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: Columbus to Chicago
| Per person | |
|---|---|
| This trip | £291 per person |
| Lowest in the last 30 days | £291 (13 Oct 2026) |
| Typical price, last 60 days | £457 |
| Price checks | 8 |
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, and you'll pay in US dollars.
- Chicago is 1 hour behind Columbus.
- The flight leaves CMH at 4:27 PM Friday and lands at O'Hare (ORD) at 12:24 AM, after one stop.
- Hampton Inn Chicago McCormick Place doesn't offer free cancellation; Hilton Garden Inn Chicago McCormick Place does.
- We budget $520 in spending money for two on top of the $1,318 total.
Questions readers ask
Is it worth it?
Yes, if a long travel day doesn't bother you. The fare is $386 per person, $220 below the typical fare on this route. The trade-off is one stop and 8h 57m of travel on Friday.
How much is the whole trip for two?
$1,318, all in: $772 for Frontier flights plus $546 for 2 nights at Hampton Inn Chicago McCormick Place, with taxes and fees included. Resort fees, a checked bag and spending money aren't included.
Is there a nonstop?
Yes. American, operated by Republic Airways as American Eagle, leaves at 5:24 AM Friday, takes 1h 32m and costs $565 per person, or $1,130 for two.
What's the weather like?
Highs run from 58°F to 72°F. Friday has a 34% chance of rain, Saturday looks clear at 65°F, and Sunday is overcast at 58°F with a 23% chance of rain.
Are 2 nights enough?
For a city weekend, yes, but you'll land at 12:24 AM Saturday. Plan Saturday around the river cruise and Millennium Park, and save the Art Institute for Sunday.
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All trips from Columbus · Chicago from every city · Prices on this route · Trips in October 2026 · Home
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Prices converted from US dollars at the rate of 15 Oct 2026.
Image credits
- Photo: Joshua Santos / Pexels, Pexels License
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