Flying from Chicago: what you need to know
O'Hare is a connecting hub first, but that works in your favor as a local. United and American both run major operations here, which means most domestic routes have at least two legacy carriers competing plus budget options from Spirit, Frontier, and Southwest (at Midway).
For international flights, Chicago punches above its weight. United's hub status means nonstop service to London, Frankfurt, Munich, Tokyo, Beijing, Delhi, and dozens more. Aer Lingus runs a direct Dublin route that regularly drops below $400 roundtrip — one of the best transatlantic deals from the Midwest.
The Midwest pricing dynamic is interesting. Chicago fares tend to run $50-100 cheaper than comparable East Coast routes to Central America and the Caribbean, because there's less leisure demand and carriers discount to fill seats. Cancún from O'Hare can hit $180 roundtrip in September.
Seasonal patterns here are extreme. Winter departures (January-March) to warm destinations are premium-priced because everyone in the Midwest wants out. Flip that — winter flights to Europe are dirt cheap because nobody's planning a December trip to Berlin. Summer reverses the pattern entirely.
Don't ignore Midway Airport. Southwest dominates there with lower fares on domestic routes, and it's significantly easier to navigate than O'Hare. If you're flying domestic, always compare both airports. FlightKitten checks fares across both ORD and MDW when you set up a Chicago departure alert.